Finding Serenity
by Roland Farqueson
Summary: Serenity was what all the survivors of the Outbreak had dreamed of, a safe haven in the chaotic new world. Now it has ended, taken over by the dead world. Follow the dirge of Serenity in it's last week, and the people who lived there happy for a while.
1. Dead End

**Chapter 1: Dead End!**

That was it that was the end; they were stuck in the small guard building next to the main complex. The undead were massed up outside hundreds of them ran through out Serenity. No one else in the complex was left alive. Clint, Ben, Sarah, Eve and even Hawk was dead. The life that they'd all carved out the ruins of the old world was now gone nothing would bring it back. The only sound other than roaring of the undead was the sound of the helicopter as it was hovering away. The military or what was left of it was no longer there to help them; it had never been in the first place.

Neil's pistol was raised pointing at Sam's head.

"Just put the gun dow-," Sam was screeching

"Shut the fuck up" Neil cut him off, firing a shot just above Sam's head. "Why'd you do it? You sick fuck! What did they offer you?"

"They didn't offer me anything!" Sam shouted back, "Look this gun pointing isn't going to get us out of here."

"Nothing will get us out of here we're fucked! I want you to tell me why before we both become zombie chow!" Neil shouted in response cutting Sam off yet again.

"We can escape!" Sam tried to reason. A large boot to his groin ended his plea.

"WHY!" Neil screeched.

The glass was beginning to crack the undead were moments away from getting in.

"Because they have the only chance! Look at what we had! We were going to make a living by foraging and by rushing out to manage our crops at half an hour intervals at a time, think about it nearly a thousand people forced to hide and scour for food. We should've joined them when we had the chance! I was dammed if I was going to live like you lot. It was sad it was pathetic."

"IT WAS OURS!" Neil shouted and in a fit or rage he pulled the trigger.

Sam squealed from the pain of the bullet entering his stomach.

"Why didn't you kill me?" Sam asked over the pain and the noise from outside.

"Because your stomach shot now! Do you know what that means you bastard? The next moments of your life are going to be sheer agony as you stomach acids seep out into your body. Then when they get in here!" Neil pointed at the window that was a minute away from cracking under the strain at the least.

"They'll rip you apart limb by limb" Neil finished almost smiling, he was almost mad everything he had ever know was now gone to him again.


	2. Serenity

Chapter 2: Serenity 

_(A week before Serenity's end)_

Neil, Clint, Hawk, Ben and Sam all stood over looking the wheat fields to the south of Serenity.

Serenity was and old military base in Scotland, it used to be an old fort that the military had kept running up until the outbreak.

After the outbreak the world had descended into complete chaos. Neil had lost everything his wife was dead, she had been infected and had turned, all his friends killed. Everyone in the compound had lost everything and everyone, apart from the kids that had been brought in by their parents. Plus the odd few couples who had been together and had managed to find Serenity together.

Serenity had been first established by some of the surrounding people, it wasn't too far from the city of Inverness. It had come around very quickly after the outbreak and had been surviving now for two years. They had set it up and then everyone else who had stumbled across it had been accepted into the ranks and been given a position of responsibility.

Serenity wasn't its actual original name but that's what they had all nicknamed it and it had stuck. It was a place where they had all found piece in the now chaotic and scary world. They clung onto their lives and a new future and to them Serenity provided that opportunity.

There was no way for the undead that now stalked Britain to get into the fort. It was an old fort so it had a huge twenty-foot ditch that was dig around the walls that were a good thirty-foot up. There was a bridge across the ditch and there was a huge gate into the fort.

To the north and east of the fort lay the North Atlantic Ocean. The fort had it's own small jetty where they had managed to get six fishing boats. Which kept a good supply of food to the fort, but man couldn't live on fish alone. So they had in the past few months started to get their own wheat fields. They were also growing their own vegetables. In fields to the south but they were out of site from the fort over a hill.

The undead where still quite a frequent occurrence even after two years but they had rigged up a siren on the walls of the fort so when people were out farming the fields they could be quickly retrieved when the undead were sighted if it was a large horde of them. If the group of undead were quite small than a different siren would alarm them to basically keep an eye out and for them and fight them off their selves. There was also a third alarm. One that warned of any other human sightings this was because the people of Serenity had to watch out for what was left of the military too. The military were very well armed and organised but fortunately they also had to deal with the problem of the undead but there approach was a little less compatible. They had taken to killing everything to try starve the undead. They had also offered to join with the survivors but with a cost they wanted to test on them trying to find a way of making people immune to the bites.

Serenity had come to an over all decision and everyone else had agreed to tell the military to go do a running jump of a cliff.

Any way they had only had one run in with the military since then. One, which cost Serenity the lives of a few of their men but more of theirs.

"How long have they been out so far?" Hawk asked the group. Hawk was the tallest out of all of them and by far the most skilled soldier. That was all their jobs; they were the soldiers and guards of Serenity. Hawk was ex-military apparently he had been a royal marine. He never really spoke of it though. He was a ox of a man and could easily lift a person. He carried a large machine gun with him all the time. Hawk wasn't his real name, but he had got the nickname after spotting groups of undead from miles away. He had also earned himself the title of "Defender of Serenity" which meant he was in charge of Serenity's defences and the highest-ranking soldier there.

"About 2 hours" Neil replied.

Neil was a lot smaller than Hawk and averagely built but he had proved himself a more than efficient fighter in the past and carried around a sub machine gun. One that he'd learnt how to use to devastating effect. He was dressed in normal civilian clothes, jeans and t-shirt with his jacket on.

There wasn't a such a uniform for the soldiers but they all made use of the boxes of uniform that had been left behind by the old occupants of the fort.

His long hair ruffled in the strong wind as they overlooked the farmers getting to work in the fields. The farmers were another large force that was one of the major jobs in Serenity. They all kept sidearms on themselves for self-defence but the majority of the fighting was done by the soldiers.

"That's good, least they can get some work done." Sam replied.

The youngest of the five soldiers and probably the most idealistic and dreamer of the group he was always spouting ideas about how they could improve things. All of them far fetched and most people dismissed anything he said out of hand. He was the only person who had thought it a good idea to join with military.

He was in a uniform like Hawk and carried a sub machine gun also. Not amazing with it but he had to be put to use somewhere. His loud mouth and ideals had made it so that most people didn't like him.

"They always get walk done." Clint replied. He was the eldest of the group and was renowned for keeping Sam in check. Clint was in civilian clothes like Neil. Clint was not his real name as well a nickname due to the fact that he wore a cowboy hat and wore jeans and a collarless shirt to go with it. He just reminded people of Clint Eastwood from the western films they had all seen. He also shared an uncanny likeness to the actor.

"It's the fact that the bloody zombies keep appearing disturbing their work." He continued to explain.

"Isn't it about time they made an appearance today?" Ben said.

Ben was dressed in what could only be described as rags. His jeans were torn in places; his t-shirt was much the same. He wore a cloak over his shirt though so it wasn't really visible and he had a rifle slung around his shoulders. That if it were a person would have looked like him. It had rags wrapped around it and the scope. He had always said that the rags stopped it looking like a gun from a distance and he took his role of a sniper/marksman very seriously. He was without a doubt the best shot in Serenity. Many a time would he got out on his own and come back with a deer over his shoulders. He could track an animal as well. He had also served like Hawk, but Ben had been in the peacekeepers forces in Eastern Europe and had been on leave when the outbreak had started. After his time out there had become very religious and his wrists were covered in bracelets all showing his faith in Christianity. He even had crucifix dangling from where the trigger was on his rifle. Saying that it reminded him that God guided his shots. He was the only one who believed it. He was one of the very few believers left in Serenity. His nickname to some was "Preacher"

However his unfriendly look betrayed the kind heart and willingness to help any one.

"Let's face it boys, either way it's been defiantly beginning to become a good life" Clint said.

They all laughed except Sam.


	3. Fire Fight

**Chapter 3: A Fire Fight.**

It was about an hour after the five soldiers had been gathered on the wall, now the only two who remained were Ben and Hawk.

It was eleven o'clock in the afternoon and the summer sun was shinning down on the workers in the fields and they still hadn't been disturbed in their work. It must have been hard for the workers but at least they had the cool breeze coming in off the ocean.

Hawk and Ben were quite cold however because of the height they were at on the wall and their proximity to the ocean. The fort had originally been designed to control the stretch of water known as the Murray Firth; it was part of the ocean but came in land and meant that Inverness used to have been a good protected seaport. However the need for fortresses guarding stretches of waters were centuries ago. All that matter now was that it kept them safe.

Ben was sat on the edge of the wall his legs dangling over the fifty-foot drop beneath him he was keeping watch but he was enjoying the summer sun whilst he did it.

Hawk was stood up straight though on the wall his head fixed in place and his eyes moving left and right keeping watch whilst keeping his head static.

Ben was more watching the workers than the horizon for movement. He occasionally glanced up at the horizon but only towards the south. He didn't really look at the woods to the southwest where Hawk's sight was now focused.

"Where's Clint and the others?" Ben asked as he swung his legs back and forth he was looked like a child doing so.

"Hmmmm?" Hawk replied not taking his gaze from the woods.

Ben laughed, "Something got your mind?"

Hawk was sure that he'd seen movement in the woods, probably just the wind moving the trees.

Hawk shook the feeling off didn't want to be getting paranoid after all. He then smiled

"No preacher just thought I saw something that all. Clint's out patrolling the veggie fields. Neil's probably around the base he's not on duty at the moment. Sam's out there somewhere in the fields looking after the workers and patrolling."

"Saw something eh?" Ben asked

"Yeah, by the woods if you and your scope fancy a look." Hawk replied moving his gaze back to the woods.

"I can't see with just my eye, but I'll take a look if it'll put your mind and ease." Ben said raising his hand just above his eyes to try and see through the sun properly. He then stood up next to on the wall and hoped down and got into a kneeling position with the rifle, so he could rest the rifle and his arm on the battlements of the wall. The scope wasn't quite aligned to that range but with a few tweaks he soon had the woods in proper focus.

He couldn't see anything as he scanned across the woods.

"Nope nothing Haw-" he suddenly stopped, "Wait there's people there. Soldiers! The military are snooping around."

"What are they doing" Hawk asked kneeling down next to Ben.

"They're just watching the workers, two snipers as far as I can see I suspect there are more in the forest. They wouldn't send two men alone this far." Ben said as he watched them.

"Can't you see anything more?" Hawk asked.

"There's movement behind them but I can only make out the odd shadow and figure." Ben replied "sorry"

"That's fine preacher, I'm going to go and find Neil and get some soldiers together. Then we're going to head out to the west on foot, I want you to stay up here and as soon as you here gunfire, sound up the Black Alarm (that was the name given to the alarm alerting of enemy soldiers.) then I want you give us so cover from those snipers."

Ben nodded.

"Just stand on the wall until then and act natural, if one of their snipers sees you pointing a gun at them they'll liable to get trigger happy before we do."

Ben nodded again and stood up.

X

Hawk took about five minutes getting the men together. A collection of about ten men after all he had no idea how many soldiers they were dealing with.

He gave them a quick briefing and then they left through the gate. But they did it in small burst so as to not arouse suspicion from the lookouts.

When they were all out they headed west moving as low and as quick as possible. Hawk took point and Neil was to his right as they moved in an arrowhead formation. They moved west along the pebbled beach making sure that they were out of sight.

Once they were parallel with the woods they climbed up of the beach and moved across the open fields they were a ninety degree angle with the snipers so there was no way they were going to be seen by them, they had flanked their enemy without being noticed.

X

Ben was on the wall walking up and down.

"Act natural. Act natural. Act natural," he repeated to himself. As he did.

He kept a glancing towards the beech though and watched his comrade's movement along the beech.

It took them a good ten minutes before they were inline with the woods then another five minutes to work their way up the hill where the woods were on. Then Ben moved over to where the siren was triggered.

The workers in the fields were still working happily and none of them where aware of the blood that was about to be shed.

Suddenly there was a gunshot, followed by an explosion.

X

Hawk and the others entered the forest and they moved covering each other at all times, until the soldiers came into view. They had brought four jeeps with them and they were all stationed close to the jeeps at the present time. There were at least twenty soldiers around. The jeeps could hold a maximum of six soldiers each.

Hawk looked back at the men and gave the hand signal to spread out and keep low. They all quickly did as they were ordered. Neil got into a crouched position by a tree and looked at Hawk for orders.

Hawk looked at Neil and gave the hand signals for "_Grenade…on my signal…aim for"_

He then pointed at a large group of soldiers. About five gathered close together.

Hawk then aimed his weapon at the nearest soldier. He steadied his breathing then squeezed the trigger. He bullet struck the soldier in the head and he fell down.

That one single gunshot was the bringing of chaos.

Neil threw his grenade blowing apart the five men, the other men fired upon the soldiers mercilessly.

X

Ben quickly responded to the shot and slammed on the Black alarm. The alarm echoed around Serenity and workers instantly headed back to safety.

Ben got into a couched position and looked down the sight of his rifle. He then began to pray. It was a stupid thing, but he always had a chant that he would use his own personal mantra that he whispered under his breath. It was more to keep his breathing constant more than anything.

"Though I walk through the shadow of the valley of the death I shall fear now evil, Fecemi la divina podestate, la soma sapienza e'l primo amore, per me si va ne l'etterno dolore."

His sights were locked onto the one of the snipers who had stood up to turn and face his present enemy. He took a moment to adjust his aim to the wind then fired.

The other sniper fell down dead. He quickly slammed the bolt of the rifle back and then went back to looking down the scope.

A quick twist of his arms and the other sniper was in his sights. Then whilst still chanting he pulled the trigger again and the second was dead.

Job done!

X

Hawk fired upon the soldiers, the occasionally bullet zipped past him and the odd one imbedded in the tree he was using for cover. However the soldiers were outflanked and surprised and they all knew it. They were concentrating more and pulling out then fighting back.

Within a matter of moments the fighting was done and the soldiers what was left of them had escaped. Three of jeeps had gone.

All of them stood up and then began to move through what the soldiers had used as a temporary base.

Hawk was over to a little gas stove where they had been cooking themselves some food that had been left of cooking in their panic to escape.

Neil stood next to him.

"Wonder what they wanted." Neil asked more to himself than to Hawk.

"Not sure…" Hawk replied lost in his own though, "Check for encase any of them survived I want one alive preferably to find out what they did want."

Neil went about his task as the other soldiers moved through the camp.

Hawk decided to inspect the jeep when he heard a shout.

"HEY YOU, FREEZE, DROP YOUR GUN." It shouted.

Hawk glanced around and saw in the distance there was a uniformed figure stalking through the trees. Allan, one of the men Hawk had picked, had his gun focused on the figure. The figure stooped motionless and Hawk rushed over to Allen's side and moved towards the figure together.

As they approached Hawk recognised the man it was Sam.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Allen asked.

Sam took his hands down and picked up his gun.

"I was watching those guns before you guys decided to massacre them" Sam replied snobbishly.

"Watching them?" Hawk questioned, he was quite baffled as to what Sam was up to.

"I was going to watch them and figure out what they were doing, idiot, I noticed them when I was in the fields and I decided to come and watch them rather than fetch you guys I knew you'd just kill'em I wanted to know why they were here wise ass."

"Well that was quite wise move for once Sam" Hawk apologised.

"HAWK! We got ourselves a survivor." Neil's voice echoed through the trees.

"Right we'll get back to Serenity and talk this through properly with the apostles" Hawk replied.


	4. Prophecy

Chapter 4: Prophecy 

Hawk and his group had managed to drag the surviving soldier back to Serenity. The workers were all safely back inside and the guards were on the wall now.

There was a meeting being held in the main complex of Serenity a five story barracks. Well that was its original use back before the outbreak.

The meeting was before the Apostles of Serenity. They were a group of four men who were in charge of running Serenity. They were the leaders of the different factions within Serenity. The soldiers, workers, scavengers and quartermasters. Hawk was one of the Apostles and took great pride in being one.

The meeting was being held in an area known to everyone as the village hall. It was an area where they could seat plenty of people and the stage area was where the Apostles sat down.

They were currently sat there a large wooden table between them and the tied up soldier, there were also a lot of people sat behind the soldier on chairs wanting to know about what had happened today.

The hall was in chaos at the moment as people shouted out questions desperately wanting their answers, a few taunted the tied up prisoner, who still hadn't had his wound looked at.

Mother, her real name Marie, stood up. She was the Apostle in charge of the quartermasters; admin would be a more appropriate word. She was one of the original founding members of Serenity and was seen by all as the Mother of Serenity hence why everyone called her Mother.

"Silence" she beckoned, she had no need to shout everyone was willing to listen to her.

Everyone went quiet immediately.

"Yes we have ourselves a problem, but that is not going to be solved by shouting and harassing the prisoner." She explained,

"Hawk here was the man he lead to platoon to dispose of the snoopers, you all know of our situation with the military and we don't know why they were snooping around but we intend to find out. That is why we have invited you here so you can find out the same time as us."

"If ya think I'm going to tell ya anything ya dreamin'" the soldier interrupted.

"You shall speak only when spoken to scum" Hawk replied, taking his berretta out of it's holster and placing it on the table, to enforce his point.

"Shall we just start now?" Squirrel asked, leader of the scavengers, a small woman who was very good at her job had a tendency to look dirty all the time, but still very attractive.

"Yes, Hawk I believe this is you expertise." Mother said as she retook her seat.

Hawk stood up smiling.

"Right then! Soldier, I know you allowed to give your name and rank so state it now." Hawk said whilst moving over to the prisoner.

"First Class Sergeant Anderson" The soldier replied,

"Anything else you'd like to add to that? Like why you and your squad were snooping around?" Hawk asked.

The soldier said nothing merely looked at him smiling.

"Oh it's like that is it? Well let me point something out to you Anderson, mind if I called you Andy…. thought not well Andy, that wound on your leg there." Hawk flicked out the knife on his utility belt and pointed at it with the knife.

"Ohhh, that is a nasty wound isn't it, may have been me that shot you." Hawk mused, "Any way this wound here." He prodded to wound with his knife.

The soldier screamed and virtually everyone in the hall flinched, they knew what the soldiers had done in that past, they occasionally abducted people to test on them so no one had any problems with hurting a soldier really they just didn't like seeing it especially.

"Hawk please we're not barbarians!" Mother said.

"Sorry Mam!" Hawk said nodding his head at hey in apology.

"Any way Andy the wound isn't going to get better, looks to me that it's already going gangrenous, you know what that means don't you? In a few hours that's going to be septic and your going to go into a heavy and painful fever, as you blood is slowly poisoned. I've seen it happen, saw action in the first gulf war we were cut off from the front line and no medical supplies. One of my men was shot in the leg just like you. He went septic and we had nothing to treat it with, didn't even have a bayonet sharp enough the hack the bloody leg of either. He survived for a good day and a bit all of it was sheer agony, he was coughing up blood, his wound even turned green. Now!"

Hawk could see the soldier turning white from his story.

"Tell us what you were doing and we can get you treated, they you can live here happily ever after." Hawk replied his smile had remained constant throughout the whole thing.

The soldier seemed to look around as though he was deciding then he laughed in Hawk's face.

"I told ya I aren't tellin' ye nothin'. I will tell ye this though, Week's time ya'll be dead as a door nail!" he continued to laugh. "It won't be us that'us killed ya all to it'll be them deadies, ya'll be no good as fish bait when they'as finished with ya" he then went into laughter again.

Hawk obviously pissed off with the whole affair stood up and grabbed his gun of the table.

"TELL ME WHAT YOU'RE PLANNING!" he shouted, the gun's barrel resting on the Anderson's head.

He just continued to laugh, the whole hall had descended into chaos again shouts were erupting some urging Hawk to kill the man some just abuse at the soldier.

"TELL ME!" Hawk cocked the gun.

"Shoot me if ya wanna, I ain't bothered if I die from gun shot or fever it wont change ya fate" he laughed.

His laughter was cut short by Hawk's trigger finger though spraying what Anderson may have once called his brain onto the floor.

Shouts and screams came from everywhere.

Then the Red Alarm sounded; there was a large horde of undead outside. Gunshots echoed around Serenity as the alarm howled through the sunny afternoon.


	5. The Undead

Chapter 5: The Undead 

Ben was stood on the wall again after briefly seeing the soldier prisoner that Hawk and the others had caught. For some reason Sam had been with them but he hadn't noticed Sam leave with them.

Sam was also on the wall, stood next to Ben, who was enjoying the nice ocean breeze and it blew across him moving his cloak and hair.

Sam was looking around trying to not make conversation with Ben, the two had never got on especially and he often felt Ben was snooping around him and making sure he wasn't up to no good.

"You can go if you want" Ben said breaking the awkward silence, as he dozed standing up in the sunlight and breeze.

Sam glanced at him and then laughed, always thinking Ben to be too calm and relaxed around him considering that they hated each other.

"What's so funny?" Ben asked opening his eyes and looking at the arrogant teenager.

"You've never liked my preacher why'd do you always seem so calm around me?" Sam asked chuckling.

Ben shuck his head and smiled, "I don't hate you Sam"

"No?"

"No…you can be a bit of a tosser sometimes" Ben remarked

The two then burst out into hysterics.

Their laughter sounded out and echoed across the now empty fields and ocean. All the guards along the wall were glancing at the two now confused at what they were laughing at.

Eventually after their laughter had died away the two managed to control themselves to stand up straight and even though they were still giggling like a pair of two year olds Sam managed to force out some words.

"That was hardly Christian of you was it?"

"No, it wasn't"

The two then managed to get their laughter under control and were back to normal.

"I've never asked you this before preacher, but why do you believe in God?" Sam asked.

Ben smiled then looked at him, "That would require all the time in the world to explain Sam"

Ben then turned his focus back to the outside and looked out over the hills and towards the woods, and then something caught his eye.

"Aw not more bloody military." He exclaimed.

The movement he saw that was in the woods then become more apparent and then suddenly a horde of undead came charging out of the woods all snarling and roaring so much it carried across the fields and sounded like some sort of battle cry.

"You've got to be kidding!" he groaned then turned to a sprint across the wall leaving Sam where he was. He reached the switch for the siren in a matter of moments and just before he slammed on the Red Alarm he was sure he heard a gunshot, it was probably one of the guards on the wall.

The alarm was activated now and the alarm sounded out throughout Serenity and people began rushing backwards and forwards as the guards who where on standby rushed to the walls to take to the defence of Serenity.

Gunfire then rattled out from all around as the guards began to fire upon the approaching undead.

No one was particularly scared, it was a big horde but there was no way they'd be able to break the gates down. After all they were only stupid humans with a tendency to eat raw flesh if you thought about it.

Besides there were tunnels leading under ground out of Serenity if anything like that did happen. There were two tunnels one from the guardhouse by the gate and one in the main complex building. They both led to the small jetty where they would be able to escape by the boats if anything did happen.

Ben stood by the wall and aimed his rifle down. Again chanting the same prayer he set to work firing into their ranks, each shot taking down another of their number. The hordes were rapidly approaching the bridge and would be hammering on the gates in any moment.

The bullets sprayed from the walls of Serenity like an explosion of a wasp hive. Slamming into the ranks of the undead and their rotten flesh.

Sam was even firing down at them even if he was a bad shot it didn't matter they needed all the fire power they could get.

The zombies then reached the bridge and were bottle necked towards the gates. The gates began to groan and shake under the strain. But they would hold they had always held them back.

Neil was also on the wall by now firing down upon the undead with his machine gun, he was directly by the gates though and didn't really need to aim to reduce the numbers of the zombie legions.

Within about ten minutes of scattered firing the zombies were all dealt with. The only thing that needed doing was to tip the bodies into the ditch that surrounded the fortress and set them alight to make sure none got up again.

Ben slung his rifle on his shoulder he was out of ammo any way and began to walk off the wall and help with the clean up operation.

Sam was where he had left him, holding a mobile phone.

"What _are_ you doing? He asked grinning.

"Oh this, I found it out in the woods I think one of the soldiers dropped it." He said becoming very sheepish about the whole thing.

"There's no point in keeping it, things probably got no battery and even if it did there'd be no way to get a signal. You daft fool" Ben said shaking his head in amusement.

Sam put it away quickly and then followed after Ben


	6. A Union

**Chapter 6: A union **

Neil was stood on the wall now; he now has a scarf wrapped around the bottom part of his face to protect himself from the smell drifting up. The bodies of the zombies had been burnt now but the smell of burnt flesh seemed to cling to the air around them.

Neil had smelt it before many times but he'd never ever got used to it.

It was evening time now and the land was slowly becoming dark as the bodies still smouldered beneath him.

He was looking out at the horizon, Clint was somewhere on the wall near him he knew but he wasn't sure where. It was their turn to be lookouts tonight; Neil hated looking out at night. It was difficult as hell to see out into the night especially when there wasn't a full moon like tonight.

"On duty again?" A soft voice asked behind him.

Neil jumped his heart racing and he span around, not raising his gun but turning round to look and who'd spoken to him. It was Eve or otherwise known as Squirrel. She was shorter than he was and always wore a scruffy uniform; she was always wearing a helmet with some goggles on top of the helmet. She also had a habit of being covered in engine grease. It was due to the fact she was leader of the scavengers and was always tuning up her motorbike, which she travelled on. Most of the scavengers drove out on motorbikes it gave them easier mobility if and when they had to make a quick get away, from zombies or military a like.

"It's you" Neil gasped, smiling and straightening up.

"Who else would be able to sneak up on Neil?" She asked smiling as she approached him.

"Hawk's quite good at it" Neil replied, and then kicked himself mentally he'd never been very good at talking to attractive girls.

"Ah well would you rather I was Hawk?" She asked still smiling

"No, no not at all, I'm just…I'm sort of tongue tied I suppose…you made me jump that's all." Neil replied stuttering.

"I saw that, you almost leapt out of your skin." She replied as she wrapped her arms around his torso and clung onto him.

He laughed nervously and returned the hug.

She stepped back then stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.

"I'll try not to do it again" she said softly.

"Thanks" he replied, then began to scratch the back of his head it was a nervous twitch he always did when he got uncomfortable, he had no idea that he did it he just did.

"I just thought I'd tell you we've been ordered to mobilise we're going out tomorrow, we're supposed to be on an all week'er we're going out to spy on those military bastards to find out what they we're up to." She said not trying to get round the topic.

"Oh…okay" Neil said trying to hide his fear for her.

"What's wrong scared for me?" she then laughed "Come on I worry about you, did today in fact when you went out to catch those soldiers"

Neil was taken back, she'd never said anything like that before really.

"I'm leaving in the morning, I just though I'd come and say I love you."

Neil almost dropped his gun, He was now tongue-tied, and she had never said anything like that ever. He didn't know how to reply his mind rose with various different answers probably every single one of them would be inappropriate. They had come together the moment they had met at Serenity they'd been distraught spirits both tore apart by the outbreak and both lost lovers in the mass amounts of deaths that had followed the outbreak. There was nothing he wouldn't do for her now they meant so much to each other it was each other they'd clung onto during those dark nights for comfort and it was her he now loved. Then in that moment he knew exactly what to say.

"Marry Me," he said his voice unwavering.

She glanced up into his eyes and smiled.

"Was that an order or a request?" she replied

"An order." He replied

"Then I guess I can't get out of it then." She dived at him and drew him into a large kiss.


	7. A Lazy Day

Chapter 7: A lazy day. 

(Six days before Serenity's demise)

Neil and Ben were sat on the wall together, both on the battlements with their feet dangling down to the fifty-foot drop but neither of them bothered by it.

It had been about an hour after Squirrel and her scavengers had set out on their mission to the military's head quarters it'd probably take them a day and a half to reach their destination the army's base was a number of miles away.

Neil hadn't told any one of his engagement to Squirrel yet he and Squirrel had agreed to get married when she was back safe and sound. It was his job to announce it to Serenity while she was gone.

Ben and Neil were just sat watching the sunrise in the early hours of the morning. Ben hadn't been able to sleep and had come out when he'd heard the commotion for the leaving of the scavengers, he'd also put in a request for a bottle of whiskey. Neil had asked Squirrel to find them some rings for the ceremony when she got back.

Ben swung his legs back and forth on the wall his rifle on the wall next to him and he looked out towards the woods.

"Can I ask you a question Preacher?" Neil asked

"You're going to any way, so you might as well." Ben replied smiling but not taking his gaze away from the woods

"Will you marry me?" Neil asked smiling.

Ben grinned and turned to face his friend. "I'm flattered Neil, I really am but I don't feel the same way"

Neil laughed and shook his head, "No, No I mean will you marry me and Squirrel? Perform the ceremony?"

"Me? Why me?" Ben asked obviously shocked but pleased at the same time.

"Well you're the closet things we have to a priest here, and you're a good friend" Neil replied.

Ben smiled, "Didn't think you'd be too bothered about having a religious ceremony, though I was one of the very few who still believed there's a God."

"Oh I believe in God, just think he's a bit of a sadistic bastard with all these zombies and all." Neil replied

"The lord works in mysterious ways." Ben mused.

X

Sam was out by the wall, he was just out of hearing distance of Ben and Neil he'd heard their stupid conversation about Neil marrying Squirrel. He couldn't help but laugh at the fact that one of the men he hated so much was about to suffer a great loss. He'd soon show all of them how weak and pathetic they all were. Soon they'd realise the way to a better future he'd be remembered as the one who saved this people even if he had to hurt or lose a few in the process. One day they'd probably raise a statue in honour of him when he was dead and gone.

He pulled the mobile phone out of his pocket and turned it on. It suddenly lit into life and he saw the menu screen. The battery was full and the signal was full. Just like the Captain had told him. He brought up the text screen and began to type in a message.

"Small group dispatched to spy on you. Will be near you tomorrow some time" 

He quickly sent the text and put the phone back in his pocket and stood by the ramp that led up to the wall, pretending that he was doing up his boot lace.

X

"What you must be joking?" Hawk said slamming his fist down on the table

"Calm yourself Hawk. It's just a day trip if that." Mother replied.

They were all gathered in the hall again they had been having a meeting since they had watched Squirrel and her scavengers depart. Mother, Hawk and Tractor, David he was in charge of the workers hence his name.

"We need just a few parts and we'll be able to fix it." Tractor replied.

They were all talking about a tank that was stationed in the fort and had been left behind by the military. They had a few mechanics in Serenity and they had all been working on the tank for some time, they had managed to get the canon turret working again and had plenty of shell they were just missing a few parts.

"Look I've been speaking to Warren our best mechanic, he used to live in Inverness before this all started, had a workshop he says he can remember working on a car before it all happened because he'd had to order in a special part, because it was a big American four by four, he never completed got chance to return the car to it's owner due to the outbreak he says you could get it back and he could salvage the relevant part and get the tank working again." Tractor explained

X

Sam felt his pocket vibrate when he was stood up again and heading towards the toilet block. He quickly looked around and made sure no one was looking at him then he pulled the phone out of his pocket and opened it to look at the message.

_Message received problem will be dealt with in due course._

That made him smile

X

"So you're saying I take two soldiers, walk out into a zombie infested city and grab a car and drive all the way back?" Hawk asked sarcastically.

"Well…Yes…. there's still three bikes left so you wouldn't have to walk there. We don't need the bikes at the moment, we can get the scavengers to collect them on their way back" Tractor replied.

"Hmmmm" Hawk said in reply now lost in his own thoughts.

"Are you going to do it?" Mother asked, "you of course don't have to go yourself, you can assign it to three others."

Hawk appeared to be in thought as he rubbed his stubbly chin.

"I think that's what I'll do. I'd rather remain here myself encase the military decide to show their face again. I don't think it's a good idea me leaving for too long."

"Well you have ideas on who can handle the mission?" Tractor asked

Hawk laughed. "Yeah I know the three."

X

"Hey guys what's going on?" Clint said, he'd decided to try go to the wall as he could hear laughing and was pretty sure he recognised Neil and Ben's laughter.

"Ah Clint! Come here join us" Ben said turning round and waving him over.

"I'll stand by you if you don't mind, don't particularly like sitting on high wall." He said moving next to them and leaning on the battlements.

"Hey Clint guess what!" Ben said he looked as if he was about to jump of the wall at any moment with excitement.

"I've couldn't possibly guess, you need the loo?" Clint said

Ben laughed, "No, No tell him Neil"

Neil also laughed then said, "I'm getting married to Squirrel"

"Oh! Congratulations!" Clint said patting Neil on the back.

X

"Those three then?" Mother asked.

"Yeah I'd trust those three with anything." Hawk replied

"I hope they're up to it." Tractor replied.


	8. The Mission

Chapter 8: The Mission 

_A few hours later, after Neil, Clint and Ben's briefing._

"So you know what you're to do?" Hawk asked the three of them.

"We're to drive the three bikes over yonder," Clint replied pointing towards three very sleek looking super bikes, "Drive into Inverness then find Warren's motors garage and find a car and bring it back, or if the car wont start we're to rip a bit out of the engine and bring it back for young master Warren."

"I knew I could trust you to remember Clint." Hawk said giving his friend a smack on the shoulder

"I'm missing something here I think." Ben said looking deep in thought.

"Yes?" Hawk replied

"What happens if the three people you've chosen know nothing about cars? And what part they need to remove?" Ben asked, "'cause I don't know what the hell the part is. Do you?" He looked at Neil.

Neil shook his head.

"I know what we're after" Clint replied, "Spent my younger years as an apprentice on the production line of a car manufacturer."

"Oh, well I'm fine then" Ben replied.

The five of them were all stood outside the main building looking towards the area where all the vehicles, including the tank, the mechanics were wondering back and forth mainly tuning up the bikes for their next outing.

"So you're going to ride all the way to Inverness on those things?" Sam asked, he'd seen the group congregating and decided to join in and see what was happening.

"That's the plan" Ben smiled.

"Risky" Neil mused.

"Very" Sam agreed.

"Believe me lads, I argued against this operation, said it should've been done by those experienced to savaging around, but Squirrel and her band of rodents have their own job that needs doing."

"Oh by the way, Hawk, have you heard? Neil and Squirrel are getting married when she gets back." Clint added.

Hawk smiled, "No I didn't, Congratulations Neil. I'll look forward to the bachelor party."

Sam made an effort to look surprised at the news but acting never was his strong point.

"Well talking here of relationships isn't going to get the job done. Ben, Neil, Clint you want to go and get yourselves your equipment and meet back here in half an hour I want you guys setting off by…" He looked down at his watch. "Half nine, okay?"

The three all nodded and walk towards the armoury.

Sam headed over to the toilet blocks.

Hawk went to go and speak to the mechanics.

X

Sam went into the toilets and locked himself in a cubicle and pulled out his mobile phone. He turned it on, the screen flashed to life and displayed that he still had signal and plenty of battery. He went to the texting menu and typed rapidly.

"Three men, going to Inverness, each man is a moral leader in Serenity, suggest disposing of if possible".

He then sent the message.

X

Hawk was inspecting the tank, which was known as "Warlord" to most, that three of the mechanics were currently sat on drinking coffee.

"So what's going on now?" Hawk asked Warren.

"Oh everything's Shinny." Warren replied. "All bikes ready for them to use and I've highlighted on the maps, they should be collecting now, where my old garage used to be. Have told them all to carry lighter weapons? It's what the scavengers do."

"Yes I have."

X

Sam was sat on the toilet looking up at the tiled ceiling with the phone in his hands waiting for a reply, suddenly the phone vibrated. He eagerly flipped open the phone

"Message received three will be disposed off, platoon in the area. Where are three headed exactly?"

Sam then replied rapidly tapping the buttons.

"Warren's Motors garage."

X

Half an hour later they were all gathered by the mechanics area.

Ben was still dressed in his black combat trousers; but he'd removed his cloak and was just wearing a crimson coloured t-shirt. He wore two bandoleers criss-crossing across his chest; he'd decided to take plenty with ammo with him. He'd kept his bracelets on and the crucifix he wore around his neck was now visible on top of his t-shirt, a plain small silver one. He'd left his rifle behind heeding Hawk's advice to carry light he now had two revolvers and his hips. For one of the few times at his time in Serenity he didn't look scruffy.

Neil now wore a soldier's uniform and simply had a berretta on his thigh in a holster. Clint followed this example.

"My God! Ben you actually look like a fighter rather than a armed beggar now" Hawk chuckled.

"No sniping for me today, so I can dress like a proper fighter now" Ben replied.

All three of them carried a rucksack; they all had a map in these rucksacks and a few tools in order to remove the part providing they couldn't get the car started. They also carried a pair of jump cables and a battery with which they could jump-start the car, as the battery would obviously be dead in the car.

"Well I'm glad makes a change to not see you in rags. Your bikes are all ready according to Warren." Hawk said, he led them over to the bikes. All of them seemed to be very high quality super bikes. One was red, the other two were black, and Clint opted for the red one so Ben and Neil were resigned to the pair of black ones. They all decided to keep their rucksacks under the seats of the bikes, except for Clint who would be leading them to the garage, as he would navigate.

They all took to their seats and started their engines. The bikes started with a satisfying noise and they were revving the engines to get a feel for the bikes. None of them had ever had chance to had a go on the bikes before as it was a right reserved for the scavengers.

The gates of Serenity were already open as the workers were out in the fields again.

"Good luck" Hawk said.

Clint nodded to him and led the two out into the open and down the dirt track that led away from Serenity.

X

Sam was still in the toilet block waiting for a second reply and he got one this simply read: "_The Three will not arrive back" _


	9. Clint's Death

Chapter 9: The Dead and the Living 

Clint led the group along the track in the warm morning sunshine, each of them sort of racing each other making their own fun, as they'd never had the chance to drive like it before.

The rushed along towards the city as fast as possible as they knew the engine sounds attracted unwanted attention. They didn't know however, that the attention they would be getting would also be from other humans.

Clint accelerated up ahead of Ben and Neil who were to busy weaving around each other and what could only be described as playing.

Ben laughed as he accelerated ahead of Neil in an attempt to catch Clint. They went about this childish behaviour all the way to the edge of the city.

Clint eventually pulled over on top of a hill that overlooked the city; Ben and Neil followed his example they left their engines running though.

"So from here on out, we've got to be serious." Clint said. The other two nodded in agreement. They city was a place that the scavengers avoided most of the time. There were zombies all over the place. They all knew that they had to get in and out as quick as possible.

"Right, let's go then." Clint said and then accelerated down the hill towards the city. Ben and Neil were in quick pursuit.

They headed down a dual carriageway, the only one that led down into the city. On their way they weaved through cars at a steady pace. There had been so much devastation over the outbreak some of the cars were little more that burnt out husks. Neil glanced to his left and saw a few of the undead had already spotted them and were charging after them, his heart was racing away at the speed of his own bike he didn't know how the scavengers could do it. Especially when they were only lightly armed. He didn't like being any where near the undead unless there was a high defended wall between him and them.

They soon skimmed through the suburbs and were in the city proper. They dashed down streets turning left and right and screeching round corners and break neck speed to avoid the growing numbers of the undead. Then they round a corner to a street and down it they saw a garage with a headboard above it reading "Warren's Motors." They pulled up outside the building. There were undead running at them from both ends of the street. All three of them had to concentrate and not to let their fear take them over.

"Neil stay on your bike led them away from here just buy us some time." Clint ordered.

Neil didn't even need to think he just span the bike round and headed for a gap in the ranks of the undead. They all took the bait and Clint and Ben managed to enter through the door of the area without getting chased in.

They both stumbled into the dark garage and slammed the door behind them and slammed the bolt on it. They were safe or so they thought.

They both heard the sound of Neil's engine in the distance drawing the zombies away from them.

"That was way too close" Clint said, "let's find this car and hurry up out of here."

"Right."

They both turned and looked into the garage. At first they couldn't see anything, as it was so dark. However they could recognise the metallic shape of the cars stored here. There was the smell of metal and oil in the air that had been mixing for over a year without being disturbed that was almost made Ben feel nauseous.

Clint had a torch on him fortunately. He took it out and shinned about the dingy garage. They were sealed in the room there didn't appear to be a back door. Just the one they'd come through and the big shutter through which the cars would've been brought in and out of.

Then Clint's torch light rested on a big car it was a four by four and sliver looking.

"There it is." He said and beckoned Ben over with him.

He opened the door as it was unlocked and leaned into the car and popped open the bonnet to reveal the engine. The keys had also been left in the ignition as Warren and Hawk had told them it would.

"Preacher go and get the rucksack from my bike it'd got the battery and jump cables in them."

Ben made a sound of acknowledgement and then moved back to the door they'd entered through. He slid the bolt back and opened the door slightly and looked out. There were two zombies stood by the bikes both stood looking around they could sense there were people around.

Ben glanced at Clint who was busy looking around the engine then he decided to just go for the bikes they didn't have time to consider each option carefully.

He stepped out into the street pulling one of the guns of his hips. The zombies both span and ran at him. He kept his head and fired a single shot into their heads as they approached, after the second shot the street was silent and all that could be heard was the distant zip of Neil's bike with the roars of the undead behind him. Ben wasted no time in removing the bag from Clint's bike. He quickly stepped back inside the garage and slammed the door back behind himself. He knew the shots would attract some of the undead but they needed to do it quickly.

"Trouble?" Clint asked

"It's been dealt with" he replied

Clint took the bag of him and opened it up removing the battery and jump cables. He quickly set about trying to set it up.

(CLANG)

A tool dropped in the back of the garage.

"What the fuck?" a voice then followed.

Ben and Clint glanced at each other, then dived behind the car then there were a few gun shots aimed at where they were stood only moments ago. The both drew their guns.

"God Dammit Private watch where you're walking in future!" A voice shouted, he then continued, "You two behind the car come out now, and we'll not kill you, You're surrounded and you can't possible have a hope of getting out of here alive if you fight, we've got men scattered throughout the city."

Ben and Clint exchanged looks, and then eventually Clint bucked up the courage to speak. "How'd you know we were coming here?" he asked

There was a pause then the voice replied, "We didn't"

"Bull shit!" Ben shouted.

"Fine believe what you will, are you coming out are not?" The voice replied.

"I'll get the part, you give me some cover" Clint whispered.

Ben nodded; he then stood up and pointed his guns in the direction of the voice and sounds. "Bite me!" he yelled and began firing in that direction.

Clint was quick to spinning round and using the tools from his bag to lean in and grab the part. He was there a good few seconds as Ben exchanged bullets with the soldiers. After a Ben had fired off all his rounds and was beginning to reload with the bullets from his bandoleers Clint spoke to him, "got it, bloody thing's heavy, let's get out of here."

Ben nodded, He wasn't sure but he knew he'd killed some of the soldiers.

"You wanna give up yet?" Ben asked mockingly.

"Like I said you're surrounded." A voice replied, and he heard a gun cocking next to his head. The soldier had snuck up on him when he'd been distracted. Ben turned to his right and looked at the man pointing the gun at his head. He was looking down the barrel of an Uzi.

"Shit"

The soldier laughed.

"Throw the part away old man" The soldier said to Clint.

"Sure" Clint replied,

"CATCH!" he shouted throwing the part at the soldiers face, Ben reacted quickly and slapped the gun away from him. The part hit the soldier in the face causing him to fall backwards.

The other soldiers began shooting from their positions. Clint drew his own gun and fired some shots back. Ben grabbed the part and the Uzi.

"Let's go then."

The two ran out of the garage as fast as they could with Clint covering them as best as possible.

They ran out into the street there were zombies everywhere.

"Bugger!" Clint exclaimed when he saw the undead.

Ben aimed his Uzi forward and tilted it and then fired, letting the recoil pull his aim across the undead were sprayed to the floor.

Clint got on his bike and Ben followed suit knowing the undead would be up any second. They engines roared to life and they accelerated away from the garage.

They heard the sound of engines behind them and as they both looked back they saw a huge truck and three jeeps come screaming round the corner, they'd obviously heard the commotion and were coming to re-enforce the soldiers in the garage.

The unfortunate soldiers in the garage came running out in pursuit of Ben and Clint and were met by the undead. Not one of them survived.

The trucks and jeeps ploughed through the undead not slowing down at all determined to catch the pair.

They screeched round the corner and saw Neil heading straight for them. There was a horde of undead chasing him still.

Clint took the lead though spotting and alley wide enough for their bikes and all three of them raced through it and were out into another street but more soldiers also occupied this one. They were on foot though, they began to fire on the three as they rushed past. They didn't get a single shot on them though they'd managed to surprise them and escape quick enough.

They round another corner and before they realised what was happening the jeeps had caught up with them.

Ben glanced backwards over his shoulder and aimed the Uzi at one of them. He fired in vein at it. Some of the bullets hit but nothing to stop the jeep. Once the bullets where gone from the gun he tossed it over his shoulder. This however had some use it shattered the window screen of the first jeep. Ben glanced back round after he heard the glass shatter and laughed.

His laughter was cut short though by some shots towards him.

He cried out and swerved the bike to avoid the shots.

They then came the entrance to the dual carriageway out of the city and began their climb up the hill.

Shots were fired at the constantly as they made their way up the hill they all were forced to speed through the car wreckages at breakneck speeds to avoid getting hit.

The reached the crest of the hill with a lead on the three jeeps that were chasing them. The crest was quite sudden and all three of them were thrown into the air on their bikes all three of them steadied themselves though.

They picked up some speed going down the hill on the opposite side and were almost at the bottom when the jeeps come over the hill.

"HA, HA try again next time suckers!" Neil shouted over his shoulder.

They rounded the bend of the dual carriage way and Neil's laugh turned into a groan of desperation. There in front of them were another two jeeps and six motorcycles. The army meant business and it couldn't possibly have been chance that they were in the city at the same time, they were looking for them.

"Holy Christ! What do we do Clint?" Neil shouted as they all braked to a halt. The bikes and jeeps accelerating towards them. The jeeps advancing behind them as well.

"There, that road." Clint pointed to a road that was still between them and the other bikes.

The all then accelerated forward, all three in line with each other dashing for the one road that would provide as some sort of escape for them.

They reached the road away with moments to spare the other bikers were literally moments behind them chasing them up the road. Neil who was now at the bike of the three turned in his seat as it was a straight road and fired of several rounds at the bikers with his berretta. His bullets missed each time and his fire was met with a more powerful volley from the other bikes.

He was forced to swerve about the road in an attempt to avoid the bullets. He heard the zip of the bullets that narrowly missed and he even heard one clang off his bike. The road eventually led to a sharp right turn which led in the direction of the fort, but all three knew that I wouldn't lead there, there was only one road to Serenity. Ben and Clint slowed down to go round the corner, whereas Neil with the bikes right behind him screeched round the corner barely staying on the bike. One of the bikers following them tried the same approach and ended his life on an old rubble wall as his bike slammed sideways into it and burst into flames.

The bikes though were still in hot pursuit of the three. Ben glanced back and saw Neil struggling to get away from them. He eased off the accelerator and dropped back drawing his gun as he did. He was next to Neil quickly and aimed as he drifted back carefully.

BLAM 

A single shot fired into one of the biker's front wheels blowing it out from under the bike. The man flew skywards as his bike toppled forward he crashed down to the road and was left behind in the dust by the other bikes.

Ben flicked the gun back into his holster and carried on driving as the bikers enraged by their now two fallen comrades fired upon them.

The woods that led to Serenity now came into view and Clint saw a sign that was pointing at a hikers path through the forest.

He saw the small gap in a wall and darted through it at a break neck speed.

Ben and Neil were quick behind him and so were the other bikers. They approached the woods through a muddy field their bikes all-kicking up mud behind them.

A biker caught up and began to ride next to Ben and Neil, fortunately the biker wasn't bright enough to realised he'd flanked himself. Before he got chance to draw his gun Ben and Neil both leaned into the biker and Neil flailed his left fist out at the biker's head and caused him to fall towards Ben, Ben reacted and raised his elbow and struck the biker making him fall backwards to the floor, with a crack that was his back.

They left the biker for dead but his comrades still didn't drop the pursuit even though there numbers had been halfed.

The entered the wood's walkway at a speed that really shouldn't have been attempted and moved round the trees skilfully. Dirt and mud flapped up everywhere the other bikers knew that this was the final stretch and began to fire upon them with care or attention. Every time there was a slight opening through the trees they'd fire.

Ben, Neil and Clint returned the fire with their own shots.

They were so close to Serenity now they could here the warning siren going off. No doubt the workers would be pilling back into the safety of its walls.

The sunlight streaked down through the holes in the branches and the bikes zipped through it the sudden high light and low light was very distracting for all the drivers. In very little time they had reached the other side of the woods. Ben, Clint and Neil were propelled into the air as the edge of the woods suddenly dropped down into the green grass of the field in front of Serenity. The bikers came flying out behind them unleashing rain of gunfire.

The shots scattered up dirt all around them and grass shards where thrown up amongst them.

A shot caught Clint on his shoulder making him roll forward on the bike, his bike weaved then scattered to the floor and he was thrown from it and landed a few meters by it.

"CLINT!" Neil screamed, dragging his bike in a wide arch to a stop. He whipped his pistol out of his holster and aimed at the bikers. Ben followed his example to defend their fallen friend.

Neil's shots were fired rapidly at the leading biker that had taken Clint down.

Ben drew both his pistols and aimed at the two others he had made a swerve towards him.

Neil shots took the man down blood spayed up in an arch as the men toppled backwards on his bike.

Ben's revolvers were not so lucky his first shots took down one of the bikers but before he had chance to move his aim a bullet hit him in the stomach. He toppled backwards with his bike crying out in pain.

Neil turned to fire a shot at the remaining biker and with one shot aimed carefully at the man's head he ended his life.

Neil was then torn between which one to go to. Ben was still making noises of pain and was still alive, whereas Clint hadn't moved since he'd fallen.

He dashed over to Ben and skidded down next to his friend.

"Are you okay?" he cried

"The bike is on my leg" Ben replied clawing at his gut from the gunshot.

Neil stood up and hauled the bike up off his friend.

"Thanks, get to Clint!" Ben then ordered.

Neil nodded and moved over to his other friend. Clint was lying face down on the floor. He had wounds that led from his shoulder to his hip in a diagonal line; he'd taken more than one bullet

"Clint!" Neil gasped as he reached down and turned his friend over.

Clint's cold dead eyes were all that met him.


	10. Ben's Struggle

Chapter 10: Ben's struggle 

The infirmary was normally a quiet place in Serenity. Angel, her real name Sarah, was the only doctor there and was the person in charge of the infirmary.

Right now in the small building there were currently three other people in beds. Two had broken legs the other had some sort of fever, but it was clearing now.

In the stillness you could've mistaken it for a normal hospital before the outbreak had shattered everything.

It was a long room with two double doors at the end. It had ten beds in it, five down either side.

Inside the infirmary it was possible to here the shouts and screams from outside. The chaos was approaching then suddenly the two double doors were bashed open and Angel led the way, her hair cut short to neck length flowed out behind her and her long white coat which one of the scavengers had given her as a gift. She was never short of admirers, she was attractive and a doctor two thing sure to draw the attention of men.

Behind her came the stretcher, which Ben was on, he was now unconscious he'd lost a lot of blood.

Neil and Hawk both pushed the stretcher, they could've let the two nurses do it but it was there friend and they were determined to look after him themselves.

"This bed" Angel ordered, it was near the end and had a window right next to it in which the sun shone through and made Angel look as though she was living up to her nickname.

They pulled the stretcher up parallel to the bed and that's when the nurses took over. "On three" Angel ordered, "One, two, three!" they lifted Ben from the stretcher to the bed.

"Can you please leave!" Angel asked but again it came across as an order.

Neil and Hawk reluctantly left.

X

Sam had been watching the battle from the wall, making sure no one was around he then took out his mobile phone and began to text. However suddenly the phone started vibrating and the screen displayed he was receiving a call.

He answered quietly

"Hello?"

"_Sam?"_

"Yes?"

"We've just heard the news here, we have lost several men taking these men down, and how many of them are dead?"

"Just one, Clint and old guy who virtually everyone looked up to, the compound's still in shock that he's dead."

"_The other two?"_

"One's seriously injured he's been shot and lost a lot of blood I'm not sure he'll make it."

"_See to it that he doesn't! Their pathetic scavengers are moments away from being wiped out we'll send a text telling you when they are dead."_

Then the phone hung up.

Sam glanced around no one had seen him.

He then chuckled to himself.

"Let's see if your God can save you now Ben"

X

Several hours later around four in the afternoon.

Neil was sat with Sam inside the infirmary entrance Ben's condition had apparently stabilized but Angel and the nurses still wouldn't let them see him. Hawk was off in a meeting apparently they'd received a radio transmission from the scavengers. Now Neil was torn between his friend Ben and his love for Squirrel, he knew that Squirrel would be fine she was always adept at looking after herself.

An hour had seemed to pass between Sam and Neil without a word spoken then Neil broke the silence.

"They knew we were going to be there" Neil said his gaze not moving from the floor, he was thinking about Clint.

"Sorry?" Sam who'd been surprised so much by the sounded sounds that he hadn't really heard.

"The military, they knew we were going to find that part, or something from that garage at least." Neil explained more.

"How?" Sam asked shocked, at least pretending to do so very well.

"There's some one here passing them information" Neil replied glancing across at his friend.

"How…what makes you say that?" Sam asked, his acting skills had improved a lot.

"There was no one that lot just happened to be there, besides on our way back they'd formed a road block, they knew we were comin-" his explanation was cut short as Hawk ran into the room.

"We've got a problem, The Scavengers have run into a fight, you might wanna get up to the radio room."

X

Ben's vision was somewhat hazy but when he opened his eyes.

He saw a woman stood in a path of sunlight looking down on him smiling.

"Hello Ben" she said softly.

Ben glanced around and tried to make out some shapes but couldn't his vision was all out of focus and she was the only thing she could see.

"Am…am I dead?" he asked his voice was cracked and broken due to his tired state.

The woman laughed, "No, I'm Angel, Serenity's doctor we've met before remember."

"I'm sure I'd remember a face like yours if we had" Ben replied.

Again the woman laughed.

"Well just rest your charming mouth you need some more rest, you need more blood you've lost quite a lot so you need a bit replacing and if you don't the next face you will see will be an angel's"

Ben grunted then quickly replied, "I'd rather see yours again"

Then he fell into a deep sleep.

Angel was taken back by the comment but she smiled and then set to work.

X

Hawk and Neil both ran into the main building of the compound and ran up about three stories. The radio room was quite high up and was in a small room. They ran past several people going about their work. Forcing these people to lean into the wall to avoid being knocked to the floor as the two sprinted through the building.

The eventually reached the radio room.

Tractor, Mother, Warren and Smith the radio operator were all there.

"_We're taki…hea…fire…many wounded……Squir………dead"_

Neil didn't need to hear the rest, the tears in his eyes forced their way out onto his face.


	11. Squirrel's Death

Chapter 11: Squirrel's Death 

The Scavengers had made a camp in a forest that overlooked the military's stronghold. It was a small village with which they had erected a huge metal wall around and now Squirrel looking through her binoculars could see that they had a system similar to Serenity's they'd started to get fields outside of the metal wall and inside many non uniformed people walked around, it was probable that these people had been forced to work there are simply had no where else to go. Squirrel wondered how many the military had killed by experimenting trying to find a cure for the plague that afflicted the world so badly.

"Squirrel" A hushed voice said from behind her.

Squirrel glanced round, there sat Mark her second in command holding out a cup of tea, it was in a metal cup but still it was a drink.

Squirrel smiled and took the cup.

"I here congratulations are in order" Mark said smiling.

Squirrel smiled at him as she blew on her tea.

The two were crouched behind a bush and were overlooking the stronghold.

"Any sign of what they're up to?" Mark asked, he'd been sorting out the camp, which was about a mile behind them well hidden in the forest.

"No but they're certainly trying to hide those helicopter they've got." Squirrel replied.

"Choppers? Where?" Mark asked.

She handed him the binoculars and he gazed down at the stronghold.

"See the main buildings and the green metal huts, I think they're armouries any way slightly to the right of them. They've got camouflage over the top of them" She took a sip of her tea.

Mark looked at them.

"Oh yeah."

Something else then caught his attention. He moved his gaze over to the main gates they'd opened and several jeeps came driving out.

"What's going on there?" Mark said bring the binoculars into focus on the jeeps as they seemed to be heading in their direction and were full of soldiers.

"Huh?" Squirrel glanced over his shoulder.

Suddenly Mark looked as though he'd been punched in the gut and he collapsed to the ground crying out in pain.

Then the sound of a rifle shot followed.

"Shit" Squirrel cried out as she dropped to the floor and tried to help her fallen friend.

Although she did her best to help him, Mark died quickly as the blood poured out from the room, he'd been lung shot.

Squirrel stood up and began to run back into the forest, the jeeps were only moments from entering behind her.

She drew her pistol, a classic Mauser pistol she'd always said it looked better than the other guns and it really did pack a punch even if it had a small clip.

She heard the jeeps pull up the forest they couldn't go in the thicket was way to clumped together for them to hope to drive in.

The soldiers piled out of the jeeps and were after her.

A bullet was fired and embedded itself in a tree literally centimetres from her face.

The shots rung out from all around the forest. They were all trying to catch her.

She weaved in between the trees dashing in and out of their views trying to take the safest way back to the camp. No doubt her Scavengers had heard the commotion and were arming up as this was happening.

She dashed behind a tree and leaned around it aiming her gun at the closest soldier.

**BLAM, BLAM.**

One shot hit the soldier in the leg then next fired his brains all over the canopy of the forest.

That one kill didn't put the soldier off though.

She continued to run and dashed through more trees with gunfire scattering bullets all around. Kicking up the dirt and smashing into trees. It felt like she was stuck in the middle of a Second World War film.

Then the camp came into view she saw that her Scavengers were now all armed and ready to fight. Some had rifle and shotguns but most were just using handguns the Scavengers travelled light all the time.

She reached the camp in a sort of crouching run and by then the two sides were engaged in heavy fighting.

A man took a bullet right next to her and fell to the floor clasping his neck from the now three-inch hole there.

She turned and fired of her clip at the soldiers. She then moved next to a tree and began to reload.

Her head was unfortunately sticking out from behind the tree. That error was her last as a soldier took the opportunity to end her life.

The radio operator was huddle up against the tree and had just made contact with Serenity when he saw Squirrel's head almost explode.

"This is Squirrel's Scavenger squad. We've been found by them enemy. We're taking heavy fire and we have many wounded."

He glanced around and saw that they were fighting a losing battle.

"Squirrel is dead and Mark is presumed dead we're going to try and get awa-" a bullet was fired into the his chest and he slumped to the ground dead.

The rest of the scavengers were not long in joining him.


	12. Sam's Close Shave

**Chapter 12: Sam's close shave.**

_A few hours later, around 8;00 in the evening_

Neil had taken to the dorm in which he had sleep and the bed he'd shared with Eve for so long.

Now that she was gone he had no idea how he would sleep in it. He'd been crying since he'd heard the news of his fiancés' death. He'd been married before and the loss of a second love was almost too much for him.

Hawk had spent a lot of time with him making sure he was all right but he'd told Hawk to go and see Ben, after all it was Ben who was knocking on death's door.

There was a knock at the door.

"Hello" Neil asked in a voice that was almost a whisper.

"Hi" a voice said and Warren's face appeared round the door, he was soon followed by Tractor.

"How you doing?" Tractor asked. A man who didn't really resemble his nickname, he was quite scrawny but very adapt at handling farming equipment efficiently. He was crouched in front of Neil now as the tears slowly moved down his cheeks. Nothing in the world could bring her back to him now.

"Empty" he replied.

"Well me and Warren have decided to come and help you out" Tractor replied and from behind his back he pulled out a bottle of whiskey.

Neil raised and eyebrow, he couldn't help but smile even after his great loss. He knew that his friends at Serenity were always there for him and nothing changed that ever.

"Come on mate, let's got so drunk we wont even be able to see our hands in front of our faces." Warren added.

"Let's" Neil nodded grabbing the bottle from Tractor's hands.

X

Ben was sleeping soundly.

Sam was stood over him; no one knew he was there. Angel was asleep in a hammock that hung in the reception area she'd been working flat out to keep Ben alive and Hawk had gone off to organise a stronger watch convinced the military would strike any time soon. Plus the other nurses were probably off sleeping in the main complex only Angel stayed in the infirmary all the times.

The other patients were sleeping soundly Sam could hear their snores.

"So where's your God now Ben?" He asked the wounded man quietly.

No one replied.

Sam smiled, He took of the blood packet that was hung next to Ben and was providing some much needed blood to the injured man.

"On no! I slipped." He dropped the blood packet and it splashed on the floor, the blood made a huge mess on the floor. It was possible to see that Ben was having a reaction straight away he jolted upwards and his breathing became laboured.

X

Hawk was walking across from towards the wall; he was very tired he'd been up late the night before late arranging the mission, which had killed Clint. That was still on his mind and probably would stick there.

He was just going to check on Ben then he'd go back and spend the night in the same room as Neil just to make sure the poor guy got some sleep.

He entered the reception area of the infirmary, Angel was asleep in her hammock but she stirred as he approached.

"How's the patient?"

"He woke up a while ago he's still weak and needing the blood. If he comes of that satchel I've got him on he wont last too long. But he should be fine soon. In fact I can see him walking around tomorrow he looks like the type not to be bed confined any way."

Angel said as she clambered up and straightened herself up.

"I'll let you see him for a bit."

Then she approached the door.

X

Sam heard voices from the reception.

He panicked and looked around for a way out. The window it was his only chance of not being confronted if he was it could end all their plans. He moved over to the window and swung it open.

He clambered out and was away.

X

Angel opened the door and Hawk followed her through.

"Oh my god!" she exclaimed and ran over to Ben.

She almost slipped on the blood on the floor noticed what was wrong then ran over to a draw near the end of the infirmary.

"What's going on?" Hawk asked, not having a clue what was happening

"Someone has knocked of his blood supply." She replied grasping another blood packet and rushing to Ben's side to set it up again.

Ben's breathing was not improving at all.

She quickly attached the new blood packet up and set to helping Ben regulate his breathing.

"What happened?" Hawk asked as he crouched down next to Ben.

"I'm not going to point the finger at any one, but someone was trying to kill him and I think they left through that window. Just recently because if they had done it any earlier Ben wouldn't have survived." Angel looked at Hawk straight in the eye.

There was defiantly a spy on the lose no denying it now. Squirrel's squad getting wiped out so easily, The military all knowing that Clint, Ben and Neil would be in Serenity, now this some one was betraying them and Hawk was going to find out who.


	13. A Spy

Chapter 13: A Spy 

_The Next day._

_(Five Days before Serenity's downfall)_

Hawk had assembled everyone he trusted well enough inside Serenity's armoury. Neil was leant against a gun rack his head thumping he'd got very drunk last night. However the image of Squirrel still haunted his mind no amount of alcohol could get rid of it.

Tractor was next to him arms folded and head down whilst he listened to Hawk.

Warren was the best off out of the three having not drunk that much as he knew he'd be testing Warlord out and would be best to do it with a clear head.

Sam was stood opposite Neil leaning on another gun rack looking round at the weapons.

"It's undeniable now, there's a spy amongst us in Serenity. First we have Clint being killed because the military, just happened to be in town, Squirrel's team must have been given away by the spy to, then we have someone trying to kill Ben." Hawk said looking around at his friends.

They all seemed to be processing the information.

"Isn't it possible that Ben's thing was an accident?" Sam asked. Looking around the group to see what reaction he was receiving.

"How?" Hawk asked.

"I mean his blood was being kept on that metal pole thing that stays next to the hospital beds, right?"

"Yes" Hawk said bidding him to continue.

"What the wind from the window blew it off?" Sam asked.

Warren and Tractor seemed to accept the idea to begin with but the Hawk quickly dispelled the idea.

"No the window was lock, it always is to stop people taking drugs. So someone must've sneaked in then climbed out when they heard us coming," Hawk said.

"There's a spy here no denying it, you guys are the ones I trust the most and We're going to have to keep a good eye out for this spy to show himself again.

They all nodded in agreement.

"Right go back to you normal duties okay. I want reports of any suspicious behaviour tonight."

They all left the small building and headed in their separate directions.

X

Warren headed back towards the workshop where Warlord was having some final preparations before they tried to drive it around.

On his way there he saw Smith sat by the steps of the main complex. The radio operator looked absolutely shattered he was smoking a cigarette and was sitting enjoying the sunrise over Serenity.

"Hey Smith" Warren called out, the two were quite good friends despite the fact they spent very little time together.

He looked up bleary eyed.

"Oh hey Warren, how are you?" The tired man asked.

"I'm fine, just doing some finishing touches on Warlord then we should be driving it around today."

"Oh, that's good." He replied

"Yeah, How are you, how come you look so tired." Warren asked.

"Oh, I erm, I've been up all night trying to get any reply from the scavengers if there was anything left of them, been trying different frequencies all night, all I picked up in the end was a few un-important messages that the military were sending back and forth, they were coded any way so there wasn't much point listening to them" He said with a sigh at the end.

"I see, well I really need to go and finish up Warlord, but you go get some sleep okay?" Warren said giving his friend an encouraging squeeze on his shoulder.

"Sure thing" The tired man replied.

X

Ben was sat up in bed now he looked around the room. He'd been told about what had happened last night and what had happened to Clint and Squirrel. He was the only patient now left in the infirmary. The others had all been well enough to leave.

Angel was down at the end of the room shifting through some draws doing some sort of check on the drugs.

Ben coughed, partly to clear his throat and partly to get some attention of the beautiful doctor. He was bored he'd never been able to sit in the same spot for to long.

Angel glanced up from the draw at him. "Everything all right?"

"Yeah everything is okay……Can I go yet?"

She laughed at his question as she shut the drawer whilst holding a bottle of pills.

"What's so funny?" he asked, a bit upset that she hadn't answered him straight away.

"I told your friend Hawk yesterday you'd probably be asking me that question." She replied walking over to him and sitting on the end of his bed.

"Yeah…and?" still not getting a straight answer.

"You're very weak still and you need the rest, at least a few hours okay?"

Ben groaned, the wound he'd got didn't even hurt any more. The bullet had been removed and had been stitched up. It was probably cause he was on painkillers that it didn't hurt. But he'd got some bandages wound tightly round his lower body that made he one simple bullet wound that would be a small scar look worse than it was.

"I suppose." Ben replied.

Angel just sat on the end of the bed and continued to smile looking into his deep brown eyes.

After a few moments passed Ben broke the eye contact.

"Have I got something on my face?"

"No…No Ben there's nothing wrong with you, other than the whole in your stomach."

Again more silence passed and the doctor looked him up and down.

"Why do you believe?"

It was Ben's turn to laugh at a question. If a zombie collapsed every time someone had asked him that question. They'd all be living in a zombie free world.

"I mean after all the problems and wrongs there are in the world and after all this has happened?" she continued.

"I'll try and explain it to you," He smiled "Give me your hands,"

She looked puzzled but handed out her hands any way.

Ben took them and put them together making her cup her hands together, he then reached over to the bedside table and took the glass of water that was untouched.

"Right if you imagine, your hands are God's hands trying to solve the world's problems."

Angel nodded understanding.

"Here is the world's beginning." Ben poured some of the water from the cup into her hands. The water fell and splashed around a bit but then settled in her soft hands.

"Now here is present day." Then Ben began to pour more water into her hands slowly until it reached the brim and then it began to seep over the sides.

"That's how I view it." Ben said, obviously enjoying passing on his belief to the woman.

"No wonder they call you Preacher" she said as she poured what water was left in her hands back into the cup.

"It's an art." Ben replied

X

Sam was walking along the wall now, it was supposed to be his turn on duty any way.

The phone was out of his pocket again. He was expecting a call any second now. He glanced down at the workers in the fields all occupied with their work and harvesting. They needed as much food as possible to last them through the winter months.

The phone began to vibrate and Sam quickly answered it.

"_Sam?"_

"Yes?"

"_I trust you didn't fail your mission?"_

"He's been dealt with" Sam lied. "They've got a group looking for the spy in the compound now but I'm in this group so I will be able to tell if they're getting close to me."

"_Good, We have another mission for you now" _The voice replied.

"Yes, anything?"

"You told us about a group called the apostles? That they were led over all by this figure called Mother?"

"Yes that's right, Mother is basically in charge of the whole compound."

"Yes well that's your next target, when she is dead contact us again."

The line then hung up.

X

Hawk went to visit Ben, along with Neil. They'd got a plan to try and lure this spy out again.

The walked into the infirmary and entered to see Ben and Angel sat on the bed together talking.

"Hello Ben how's the wound coming along?"

"Hey Hawk, Neil, it's going great thanks doc reckons I'll be up and around in a few hours. So I can be back on the wall again soon with my rifle putting it to use." Ben replied.

"I don't recall saying you'd be fit enough to fight." Angel added.

"Good, well listen we need a favour for you tonight." Hawk said quickly wanting to get the plan spread round to the others who would be involved; they just needed to pass it through Ben first.

"Oh what's that then?" He asked he said slipping on a vest over his naked/bandaged body

"We need you to pretend to be still injured for us, You know that someone tried to kill you last night?" Neil continued for him.

Ben nodded.

"We need you to pretend that you're still injured to see if the spy/ would be assassin plans to make another move, because we've kept the fact that someone tried to get you quiet."

"Oh" Ben said "Well if it'll help catch the bastard responsible for getting Clint killed I'll be more than happy to."

X

There was a huge cry of joy from all over the compound moments later as Warlord rumbled around on its first test drive.

Perhaps they still had some hope.


	14. Mother's Death

Chapter 14: Mother's Death 

Later that day, it had been very uneventful apart from Warlord being fixed. It was now around 9;00 in the evening and the group had laid their trap for the spy.

Ben was lying in bed pretending to be asleep. There was a revolver under his pillow just encase the assassin did managed to creep in without any one seeing.

X

Hawk was outside on the wall by the infirmary, looking down on it and having a good view on the entrance as he crouched in the darkness and the quiet the only sound coming from the sea splashing up against the edge of the fortress.

X

Angel was also pretending to be asleep in her hammock in the reception area, she'd also been given a gun encase the assassin tried to knock her out as well.

X

Warren was sat by the workshop entrance, he was pretending to read a book whilst sitting on Warlord, and he'd now been assigned the driver for the tank, as he'd been the one who'd fixed it. Tractor was with him sitting around the tank as well pretending to be fixing a part of the tank with a wrench.

X

Neil was in the same room as Ben, he was hiding under one of the beds in the corner so as to not attract any attention. He was there as well encase the assassin was going to come ready for a proper fight.

X

Sam was supposed to be in the main complex, wondering around the levels, checking to make sure that no one was sneaking around suspiciously. Most people were either asleep in there or were out in the hall area of it drinking Serenity's home brewed wine.

He however was in the armoury, checking through the different guns. He was intending to get himself a loud gun for Mother, after all she deserved to have everyone know when she was dead, despite Sam's hatred for most of the people in the compound Mother was a woman he had some respect for even if she did have a pathetic dream of carving out a new future in their pathetic fortress.

He grasped a sawn off shotgun off one of the racks and took two shells for it. More than enough to do the job.

He needed to use a gun that when heard people wouldn't associate to him, so this was perfect. He kept his sub machine gun on him though, so he could walk into Mother's quarters and "find" her body and the weapon. Then he would be the first to the scene in everyone's eyes and seen as being innocent.

He laughed to himself as he loaded the gun, then he wondered out of the armoury taking care to tuck the gun away in his ammo bag.

He was walking across the empty courtyard towards the main complex when he saw Smith sitting on the steps a cigarette in his mouth and looking very bleary eyed.

"Hello Sam" he said as Sam walked past.

"Evening" he replied.

Smith was obviously looking for a conversation but he wasn't going to indulge him, he'd never liked Smith any way the guy had always been annoying and had always been one of the first to tell him to shut up.

Sam wondered through the different corridors avoiding the main hall, where there were many laughs coming from obviously most of Serenity's residents were enjoying themselves before bed.

He walked up the stairs all the way up to the top floor. That was where the Apostles' rooms were. There were four rooms Mothers was the furthest down the corridor and on the left, he room actually overlooked the infirmary and she had been included in the plan in a minor capacity to overlook the infirmary as she had been told about the suspicions of a spy.

Most people were normally told to knock on the door but Sam ignored it this time not much point any more after all the bitch would be dead soon.

He opened the door into a darkly lit room.

There was a bed to his left that had red quilt covers over it. There was desk in front of him. Where Mother sat with her backed turned to him, she was looking over the infirmary through the large glass window that made her room seem like a office more than a sleeping area. There were also a few filling cabinets in the room when she kept records of everything in Serenity and everyone. She had always said it helped to be organised

She span round quickly at Sam's intrusion.

"Ah it's you Sam, you made me jump then for a moment, I presume you've come to check if any thing's happened, I heard from Hawk you were one of the men involved in the spy catching exercise."

Sam closed the door softly and laughed.

"No" he replied simply.

"Oh, why are you here then?" she asked

He continued to laugh as he reached into his ammo bag and pulled out the gun.

Her face dropped as she realised the devastating truth the spy was in her room this very moment.

"You see…I am the spy, so it kind of helps with me being on the spy hunting squad as I know what you are all up to." He said grinning like a child with a new toy

"But?…Why?" she asked, standing up as if she was about to challenge him.

"I have my reasons" He replied sharply.

"It was you who got Squirrel and Clint killed? It was you who tried to kill Ben?" she asked knowing the answers any way.

"Yeah and was easier than I expected." He laughed

"You're mad" she gasped.

"On the contrary I'm the only sane person around here." With that he fired a shell into her.

The shell ripped into the top half of her body and sprayed blood all over the window behind her. She stumbled backwards barely alive, not even capable of screaming the shot had ripped out her throat.

He then fired the second shell, which pushed her backwards through the window. It shattered into a thousand pieces and her lifeless corpse plummeted down to the ground.

Sam hurriedly left the room.

X

Ben was lying in the bed when he heard the gunshot, then a few moments later he heard the second, he expected the alarm for the wall to go up but nothing happened.

He waited a few moments, and then sat up pulling the revolver out from under his pillow and standing out of bed.

Neil was clambered out from under the bed with a few grunts.

"What the hell's going on?" he asked.

"No idea but I'm going to find out." Ben replied. Running down the length of the room his stomach hurting slightly but not that much now it was healing fine. He flung the infirmary door open and walked out into the reception area and he moved next to Angel who was staring out in disbelief at Mother's corpse which had fallen five stories down from her room.

"Oh my God" She cried and moved into Ben, he clutched her in an embrace.

Their leader was dead; the spy had got her somehow.

Ben glanced across at Neil.

Neil only nodded in response.

Now the bastard was going to fucking pay.


	15. The Calm Before The Storm

Chapter 15: The Calm before the storm 

_(Four days before Serenity's downfall)_

A meeting had been arranged this morning in the main hall to discuss what exactly was going on. Hawk could no longer cover up the fact that there was a spy amongst them.

He was sat on the front of stage before the whole complex. Everyone had come except for the odd few guards on the walls. There were so many people there that they were stood outside the doors attempting to look in. The noise was just a mass of voices as people shouted some questions other were trying to talk amongst them selves about the current state of affairs.

"SILENCE" Hawk boomed at the top of his lungs.

The whole building went quiet instantly.

"You are all away of what happened last night and how Mother was killed, by someone in this room." He began to explain, with no idea the killer was stood but a few meters away his arms folded looking deadly serious but smiling on the inside. Sam couldn't believe the rush he was getting from this. He was saving them all but they didn't know it.

"We had some suspicion that there was a spy amongst us for about a day now, and I'm sorry to say we didn't realise till it was too late. The only real point of this meeting is for us to tell you we're putting the camp under martial law now."

A gasp came out from the audience.

"We're enforcing a curfew of eight in the evening any one discovered lingering around outside will either be shot on sit or hauled up in front of some type of court. Tractor and me have also decided to appoint two new Apostles in order for us to govern more fairly. These two will be Smith and Angel"

There were a few murmurings of disagreement but most of the people seemed okay with the new Apostles, they were probably more annoyed at the fact they would be forced in doors by the guards the people supposed to be protecting them.

"I can assure you once this spy has been caught we will be back to normal as fast as possible, you must please cooperate with us until that time, we've no idea what the military are planning to do."

"_Give It four days and you'll find out" _Sam thought in his head.

"That's all I have to say, so please could you leave and continue with the day as normal." Hawk then said.

People began grumbling, believing the meeting provided no answers, but they still left without much fuss.

"That went well." Ben said sarcastically from where he was sitting by the edge of the stairs up onto the stage. There was still a bloodstain from where Hawk had been interrogating the soldier that they'd caught.

"Least they didn't start rioting." Neil added, his face still cold and stern, he hadn't smiled since Squirrel had been killed. The only thing that kept him going was what he would do to the spy when he caught the bastard.

"Very true" Sam added.

"So what happens now?" Angel asked from her seat on the stage.

"I've no idea" Hawk replied shaking his head and looking towards the ground what could they do after all.

"Well let's go back to the day first, I think we can only do something when this spy makes his next move." Tractor suggested.


	16. Screams and Gunfire

**Chapter 16: Screams and Gunfire.**

Ben was sat on the wall a few hours later in the midday sun. He was sat in some of his old clothes one's that he hadn't worn for ages. After all he'd disposed of his rags and cloak. Then his combat shirt had a bullet in it. His trousers were ripped as well. So now he'd donned a pair of jeans and a normal white t-shirt. He'd also got a leather jacket with him but he'd taken it off, as it was just too hot to wear presently.

He'd taken back his rifle, although there had been some protest by Angel she had said he was not ready to go back on duty, she was concerned as no doubt working on his shifts meant he would be thrown into a combat situation again. His stomach obviously hadn't healed yet but. He kept the bandage tight round his torso and he was regular with the painkillers she had prescribed him.

He now clasped the rifle in both hands as his feet dangled over the edge of the large drop. He'd also decided to keep both of the revolvers that he'd had the other day. So now he had the bandoleers strapped around his chest and the guns rested in holsters on his hips.

He was humming the tune of some old rock tune he remembered from years ago in his teenage years before he'd joined the army all those years ago. It was there in the UN peacekeepers he'd found his faith in God. He remembered the day clearly. They were marching through a village that had been passed through by one of the various militias enforcing their ethnic cleansing ideals on the population. It was in Africa, he remembered the people they had found beaten, shot and rapped. Every single one of them forgave the people who had inflicted such hideous crimes on them. All because they knew from the teachings of God. He had been station in the village to protect the population there he met Sancia. The most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on. There whilst looking after the village he'd become more and more attached to the community and had been more and more outcasted by the men in his platoon. They refused to help the village there they were only there to defend it. He'd helped the local church with funds from his own account to help it back together, the love of the village for God had amazed him so much and he had to help. He was draw in by them and he had become almost a second priest to them. He had learnt so much from them. The last night he was there he'd proposed to Sancia, and she'd accepted. However the day after the rest of his platoon came to fetch him out of the village and they forced him away, apparently they'd been ordered to fetched for he'd become too emotionally attached to the community and it was unprofessional and not want they'd come there to do. That day the people of the village had given him all the bracelets that he now wore, and one from Sancia, it looked like most of the other religious ones but this had a small pendant dangling of it and now he opened it.

There the picture of the woman he loved smiled at him. He had no idea if she was still alive. The time the outbreak occurred he had been set home on leave and he was saving up his pay for a ticket out to the country and go back to that village the one he now craved for so much. He told himself one day he'd get one of the fishers to teach how to sail a boat and he'd go and find out if the outbreak had missed them there. He heard there were outbreaks all over the world but Sancia's village was in the middle of the savannah and they may have missed it. They were a self-sufficient village any way.

"Sancia, where are you now?" he asked the ocean breeze, his only company on the wall. His voiced seemed to carry on the breeze almost as if his question would go to her ears.

He closed the bracelet again; he tried to focus on his tasks not her. When this matter with the military was resolved he would leave. He would take Neil with him. After all Neil hadn't got much left to remain for now since the death of Clint and Squirrel. He wouldn't leave before though Serenity needed him to stay now.

His sight then led him to the fields where the workers worked diligently trying to get more of the harvest done.

His sight was drawn to the woods though; he could hear something a rumbling sound and engines. His eyes widened and he lifted his rifle up and looked through the scope. He could see figures moving in formations through the trees.

"Oh no" he gasped, as his eyes locked on to a tank, this time the military had brought armour with them. Then he heard it

_Woop Woop Woop._

The sound of a helicopter, then it appeared over the trees a Chinook, carrying a large number of men probably he remembered them from his peacekeeper days.

The chopper swooped over Serenity in a matter of seconds and the people in the fields fled to the safety of the walls.

Ben almost toppled backwards of the wall but managed to roll sideways to his feet. As soon as his feet touched the solid floor he was running, as fast as possible his wound slowed him down quite a bit and he ran and hit the alarm. There was no point though as all the guards had heard the sound of the chopper. Then everyone was headed for the wall

X

The chopper had circled above them for some time now, but now it had gone out of sight behind the trees. Now a formation of soldiers faced each other. The first on top of the walls of Serenity the second at the edge of the forest, their tank slightly covered by the foliage it's barrel sticking out and glinting in the sun light like something from a Japanese cartoon.

"Looks like they want to talk" Neil said from next to Hawk.

Hawk, Neil, Ben and Smith, who now held a gun in his hands although he wasn't a guard, most of the workers had joined them in defence of Serenity it was looking to be the final showdown with the military. They stood on the wall and watched as three soldiers advanced from the tree line a white flag.

"Neil and Smith you two come with me we'll meet them under the flag of truce." Hawk ordered.

Neil and Smith collected themselves and prepared to leave.

"Ben"

"Yes?" Ben asked taking his gaze away from the tank.

"I want you to watch through that scope and I'm going to shake the hand of the highest ranking officer there first. You watch him and when that flag of truce drops you fire a bullet through his god dam face" Hawk said without batting an eyelid

Ben mocked a salute and smiled.

X

The gates to Serenity opened, revealing Warlord right behind it, Tractor and Warren were inside. They were going to deal with the military tank when the fight kicked off.

Neil, Hawk and Smith, who was quite terrified at walking out to an empty field in gun range of both sides. Whereas Neil felt like he had little to lose and Hawk was used to the feeling

Their plan was to discuss briefly with the officers they were meeting then to run back before Ben's bullet ripped a new whole in the officer's face.

They walked across the silent fields on a walk that seemed to take forever. Both sides obviously waiting for the fight to start neither wanted to back down from it. The time had come for the fight to begin

They reached talking distance with the three officers. The one in the middle quite a big bloke one who could rival Hawk in a fistfight looking at his build.

"Good Afternoon sirs." He said in quite a cheery tone.

"Afternoon" Hawk replied in a stern voice.

"I'm Lieutenant Colonel McGuire. This is Captain Smite" He indicated a man with a scar running down the side of his face that certainly made him look like a trained killer.

"And this is Captain Author" he indicated a man he really didn't look like he belonged in the army.

"Nice to meet you" Hawk said with a fake smile offering his hand to McGuire.

The officer shook his hand and Smite went to shake his hand as well but Hawk merely glanced at him.

"So what do you want." Hawk then asked sternly

Smith and Neil were staring Smite and Author down as the two talked.

"Your co-operation that's all" McGuire said.

"Bullshit" Hawk replied.

"You want us to surrender so we can become you're test subjects to attempt to cure this plague, and so we can become your slaves like the other poor civilians at your stronghold." Hawk continued

"That's not so" McGuire replied, pretending to be shocked

"Yes it is otherwise why would you have a spy in our base and then kill a large group of our people?" Hawk interrupted.

"Very well, it that's the way you wish to play it." McGuire slipped into a snarl that revealed his true feelings.

"Fuck you" Hawk interrupted again and turned and walked off. Neil and Smith were right behind him. Turning the walk into a fast walk then to a jog then a run. For soon after they'd left the three officers they heard a gun shot.

Neil glanced round and saw McGuire toppling into the dirt.

After that moment all that followed were screams and gunfire.


	17. Warlord's Fight

Chapter 17: Warlord's Fight 

"Shit" Hawk shouted out as a bullet glanced off the wall next to him, his naturally flinched away from the wall slightly.

Him, Neil and Smith were by the gates now. The gunfight had been going on about five minutes now but it already seemed like an eternity had gone by.

The military had decided to hold their position by the trees, as smart move because even Hawk knew that even though most of Serenity's fighters were untrained they would've been able to deal with the soldiers easily if they decided to charge across the open plain.

There was a large thudding sound, as the military's tank unleashed a shell onto the walls of Serenity.

The shell hammered into the side of the wall and sent concrete flying in different directions, several defenders were killed and there was a large crater left in the top of one of the walls. The wall still stood though but it wouldn't allow men to cross, the crater was at least ten meters wide.

"We need to get rid of their tank" Neil shouted from the other side of the gate where he was hidden from the torrent of bullets that streamed past him.

"Tractor get out Warlord out there after the next shell is fired." Hawk yelled over the battle sounds.

X

"Jesus Christ" Warren grunted as they heard the pins of bullets rapping off the outside of the tank.

They heard Hawk's shouts just about; they had heard the shell fired before it was hard not to hear it.

They waited and listened over the sounds of bullets then again they heard another shell.

It also ripped into the wall, but it was not aimed as high and didn't kill any one merely dented Serenity's large wall.

Warren slammed the accelerator on the huge giant down, and it thrusted forward from Serenity's safety and into the hell storm that was the field.

The rattling on the side was from yet more bullets that slammed into the tank.

X

Ben was on top of the wall still he'd managed to take down the officer in charge easily the breeze wasn't that strong today, but as he glanced up he could tell it wasn't going to stay that way. A storm was on its way, judging by the blackness of the clouds it was going to be a thick one.

After the second shell hammered into the wall, not too far from him. Ben glanced to his left where he saw Warlord come charging out of the southern gate. It had been covered by the angle at which the woods were located to Serenity. So the military had no idea they had a tank, unless the spy had slipped it to them. Although he actually hadn't.

Warlord churned through the grassy fields, bullets hailed down on it. However it ploughed forward undeterred by anything that hit it. It turned sharply towards the woods it was almost on one set of tracks at one point it was turning and moving so fast.

It then screeched to a halt and dirt went flying up all around it and the turret was the only thing left moving on the tank, then suddenly fire erupted from the barrel and it rocked back and forth as it fired a shell at the tank located in the forest.

The shot missed and hit a tree next to it, the explosion showered over the other tank and many soldiers around it were killed.

"Shit" Ben hissed,

The other tank's turret rotated in line with it and it fired before Warlord got chance to fire back.

The shell was fired and glanced off Warlord's front armour. There was a gasp from the wall, as Warlord emerged from the smock virtually unscathed. At that moment Warlord retaliated and fired a shell right into the side of the military tank. The gunfire from both sides then seemed to stop as the smoke cleared from the tank, there was a hole in the side of it now and it was clear that the tank crew inside were dead.

A cheer then went up from the wall as Serenity's defendants leapt up cheering on their tank.

The cheer was short lived though as an RPG screamed out of the woods aimed at Warlord, it narrowly missed. Warlord then reversed and headed back to Serenity, as another RPG was launched at it.

The gates were then shut as in rumbled into the compound safe and sound, it didn't stop another RPG launching at it though, and the gates withstood the blast just about.


	18. The Angel of Death

**Chapter 18: The Angel of Death.**

Ben slid yet another bullet into his rifle. The battle had now been raging for about an hour. Neither side had really gained the upper hand since the fight had begun. Except that Serenity still had their tank, but it was undergoing some slight repairs at the moment as apparently it'd taken some damage in the fight earlier. Both sides had taken many injured. There was now rain shooting down almost as heavy as their bullets, everyone was drenched to the point where they no longer cared.

Ben was crouched down, behind the battlements his back to them as he grabbed some slight rest while he reloaded. The man next to him stood up to fire again, but as he did a bullet struck him in the shoulder. The man cried out in pain as he fell down.

"Shit" Ben gasped as he moved to check if the man was okay.

"Aww God Dam it hurts!" The man said clasping his shoulder.

"MEDIC!" Ben then yelled across the battlements to any one who was near by. He had to struggle to make himself heard over the gunfire.

However a two woman made their way over both in combat gear and they dragged him away towards the infirmary.

Ben then went back to leaning against the wall behind him. He then moved over slightly and displayed his rifle and looked down the scope, he was looking for the snipers that were being very adept at taking out men on the wall.

He scanned across ignoring the normal soldiers who were shooting; they'd have trouble hitting anything. Then he saw one, heavily camouflaged and he only saw him as the soldier's rifle wasn't wrapped up.

"Fool" Ben whispered, he went back to his chant, his mantra that always came to him in these situations.

"Though I walk through the shadow of the valley of the death I shall fear now evil, Fecemi la divina podestate, la soma sapienza e'l primo amore, per me si va ne l'etterno dolore."

He checked the direction of the wind, altered his aim then pulled the trigger. The sniper slumped over onto his rifle dead.

Ben leaned back and emptied the casing out of the barrel. It flew across him as he slammed the bolt back into position

He heard footsteps behind him and then Hawk dived into a position next to him.

"How's it going" he said in a raised voice but it seemed quiet in all the gunfire.

"I've got another" Ben replied in between his chant.

Ben then slipped back down next to Hawk.

"We can't keep this up it's only a matter of time before they bring that chopper in for a strike." Ben then said.

"I think they've got something else planned otherwise they would've made that move by now." Hawk replied.

Then they heard a distant thud, which was followed by a whistling sound.

"What the-?" Ben was saying

Then Ben and Hawk looked at each other their eyes widening. Then they both shouted to the other men more than anything.

"MORTARS"

The whistling drew closer and then there was a large explosion, not to far from Ben and Hawk. A few of the men around them were killed.

But that wasn't the only explosion that followed.

"RETREAT FROM THE WALL!" Hawk yelled to the guards. There was no point enduring shots and mortars.

They all ran as fast as they could for some sort of cover in the complex. Explosions happened to the left and right of them as they scattered around.

Ben and Hawk kept close together, they were both headed towards the workshop where Warlord was being repaired.

On their way there an explosion landed in front of them, which scattered them both backwards from the way they were running. Hawk felt as though he'd received whiplash from the throw and he'd been winded there was no doubt about that. He tried to ignore the pain and rolled over and forced Ben to get up as well. Ben struggled to get up and had to lean against Hawk for support, but Hawk was more than big enough to take the strain.

The two then both dived through the workshops doors.

Ben grunted as he fell to the floor again struggling to breath. Hawk merely hunched over though.

Explosions ripped through the compound, ripping holes into the walls.

Ben exchanged a look with Hawk, one that got across the helplessness of their position.


	19. Sam's Cowardice

Chapter 19: Sam's Cowardice A few hours later after night fall 

The inhabitants of Serenity had had to endure over four hours of on and off mortar fire. The workshop had taken a shell but it had missed Warlord, several men had been killed as the roof collapsed, now there was only a bit left standing. That was now where Ben, Hawk, Warren and Tractor now sat huddled together trying not to let the storm get them wet.

The walls were now in a dismal state, no one could really clime the properly now, they hadn't been levelled at all but they were ragged, it would still stop the undead from getting in if they were to attack. Which was their main purpose to the defenders.

The main barracks had taken a shell and it had knocked out the corner of the roof but that was about it no doubt more people had been killed in that explosion.

Sam and Neil however were stuck in the armoury, not the best place to hide Sam had thought, but he'd been assigned to try and disarm any heavy weapons that Serenity might have, they had one RPG launcher and plenty of grenades for it, but before Sam had had chance to disarm it Neil had run in trying to find some cover from the mortars.

There was another explosion close by.

Sam flinched in the darkness, "Jesus" he gasped.

"We're relatively safe Sam" Neil said, urging his friend to calm down.

"Yeah, well I could have picked a better place to hide, I wasn't thinking about where I was going." Sam explained

"Well panic does that to you, although you must've been very fast cause I didn't see you running in this direction, in fact didn't see you on the wall at all." Neil laughed.

BANG 

"Jesus, wish they'd stop doing that" Sam gasped.

Then there was silence, no more shells.

Neil stood up from his crouched position and looked around, looking out of the window into the darkness ruin of Serenity.

"What's going on?" he asked to himself more than anything.

"I've-" Sam replied.

Neil cut him off with a hand gesture.

_Woop woop woop._

"The helicopter" Neil gasped.

X

Neil was right.

Ben and Hawk looked out from under the rubble of their building and saw the helicopter approaching, due to its huge lights focusing on its intended destination.

"Awww Christ not now" Hawk groaned.

The light was focusing on the top of the main barracks. A typical fort attack used by the modern military dropping forces on the inside to disrupt it. Much like Troy but minus the wooden horse.

"RPG?" Ben asked, then machine guns sprayed in all directions from the helicopter. Then the two were forced to roll for cover.

"Fuck, yes, if we can get to one without being riddled with holes" Hawk shouted back, he was always glad to have Ben by his side another person who had seen combat before and didn't crack up under the strain. Hawk and Ben had very different methods with coping with battle stress, Hawk's involved cursing and swearing a lot whereas Ben had his mantra that he always recited.

In fact as Hawk glanced across at Ben he could see his lips moving as he whispered his mantra.

"Warren, Tractor any chance of getting Warlord out of the rubble and quickly?" Hawk asked.

"We can try" Warren replied. Then the two set to work.

"Right, Ben, On Three we run to the main building okay, we're going to need to sort these bastards out when they land." Hawk looked his friend in the eye.

Ben nodded.

"One, Two…Three!" the two leapt up from the rumble and sprinted across the open grounds of Serenity, The people in the chopper obviously saw what was happening and fired down upon them.

Ben and Hawk ran in zig zags, dirt flying up around them and the zips of bullets as they cheated death more than once in their daring run.

Ben was basically screaming his prayer as he ran not wanting to look up at the chopper for fear of getting shot.

The both slammed into the side of the building for cover when they reached it, clutching against the wall as the chopper circled overhead to make it's landing. Hawk clutched his machine gun to his chest and Ben simply placed his hands against the wall and looked up and around the corner. He'd left his rifle behind; his pistols would suffice for the upcoming fight.

X

Neil saw Ben and Hawk's run from the workshop, he was surprised to still see them alive after the workshop had been hit.

"Where's the RPG Sam?" Neil asked over the helicopter noise and gun fire, the helicopter was making a landing on the roof and now while it was stationary would be the best time to strike it.

"I erm…don't know" Sam replied.

Neil sighed in desperation and began to search the weapons.

"Do you have a torch?" He asked

"No I lost it." Sam replied, he was still huddled up in the corner.

"look get up and help me look." Neil said getting more and more agitated by Sam's reluctantness.

"I can't" Sam sniffled in reply.

"GET UP OF YOU'RE ARSE AND HELP ME YOU FUCKING COWARD" Neil then screamed, his past few days of desperation culminating in that one outburst.

Sam merely cried in the corner in response.

Neil's hands then grasped the RPG; he took it off the wall rack and grabbed a grenade by his foot.

X

Ben and Hawk entered the main building heading for the top floor they needed to get to the top to begin to fight off the strike force.

They'd met Smith on the inside and he was joining them others were right behind them once Hawk had explained what was happening.

They didn't know that a force of twelve soldiers had already landed on the roof and were on the top floor, as they rushed up though.

X

Neil ran out of the armoury and loaded the RPG then aimed up at the helicopter. It had already dropped of the soldiers onto the roof and was beginning to ascend up.

Neil looked through the scope and aimed at the helicopters rear, thinking the fuel tank would be around there.

He then pulled the trigger unleashing the grenade into the sky. It whooshed forward and Neil looked away as the recoil and wind produced from the grenade moving upwards caused him to flinch.

The grenade struck the tail of the helicopter and disintegrated it's tail propeller. The was a huge crack and boom as the explosion resounded around the compound. The helicopter spun out of control and seemed to almost float downwards, it's remaining flight propeller keeping it air born to some capacitor. However it just missed the east wall of Serenity and plunged into the ocean, with a huge crash.


	20. Smith's Death

Chapter 20: Smith's Death 

Hawk, Ben, Smith and the others rushed up the stairs knowing that every second mattered; there were many women and children in the building.

On their way up Ben paused at a window and glanced out he saw Neil rush out into the rain clutching a RPG launcher. There was a few seconds then Neil launched it above the building. The whole building seemed to rumble as the helicopter took the damage of the RPG.

They didn't pause long though they heard the chopper as it descended into the ocean and the huge crash when it hit the water.

They reached the door that led into the corridor of the top floor.

There were six of them all staring at the door as they heard movement from the soldiers on the other side.

"Got any grenades?" Hawk whispered, trying not to attract any attention from the soldiers on the other side.

Everyone shook his or her head.

"Fuck! Well Ben when I kick this door open you go in low, I'll go high and aim for any movement in the corridor. Then we move in quickly a clear the rooms" Hawk quickly explained.

Ben nodded drawing one of his pistols in response.

Hawk moved up to the door. Ben knelt next to him. The other guards flanked around them ready to pour in and clear the floor.

Hawk raised his heavy boot and kicked the door so hard it fell of it's hinges. The door fell to the ground with a giant thud. Then Hawk and Ben opened up with their guns.

Hawk sprayed his machine gun in an arch around head height.

Whereas Ben aimed for what appeared to be reddish blurs in the dark corridors.

After the smoke had settled. They could see that they'd shot three soldiers. The others were obviously hiding for cover in the other rooms.

Hawk and Ben then both leaned against the frame of the door as shots were returned in response.

"Jesus, have they got night vision or something" Smith asked from his cover next to Ben.

"Looks like it" Hawk replied, he then leaned round the corner and fired some more shots into the blackness.

There was a ping sound from the corridor and suddenly a grenade rolled into view from round the doorway.

"Bugger" Ben cried and with a swift motion he kicked the grenade back along the corridor and then shrunk against the wall.

The grenade exploded. Killing the soldier who'd thrown it and another of his comrades.

"Give up now you're stuck on the top floor without chance of escaping" Hawk then shouted after the explosion.

"You give up your fort is surrounded." A soldier shouted back.

Ben leaned round the door and fired of what was left in the chambers of his revolver at where the voice had come from.

It was a standard military trick to get the enemy to shout something at you to reveal their position; Ben was surprised the soldier had even fallen for it. It was the soldier's last mistake though.

"Rush?" Hawk mouthed at Ben.

Ben who was reloading his revolver and he snapped it shut and pulled out his second gun.

"Low" Ben mouthed back.

Hawk nodded and motioned for the guards behind him to follow him. Ben did the same to Smith.

Ben and Hawk both moved through the door and fired down corridor at the other doors forcing the other soldiers to stay hidden. Smith and the others followed example. However a soldier leaned from behind a door and fired a shot in retaliation and hit the woman behind Hawk and she slumped to the floor dead.

Ben and Smith moved into the room and their left for cover, which had been cleared from Ben kicking the grenade back. Hawk and the other two guards dived into the room on their right.

Hawk was surprised to still some movement, the soldiers attempting to seize the building though were wearing full flak armour and the soldier that was still in the room had been hit and was struggling to stand up as Hawk and the others moved in.

Hawk wasted no time in firing some bullets into the defenceless soldier though.

There were still another group of soldiers left in the building though in the remaining two rooms.

Smith and Ben were silently listening to the hurried voices on the other side of the wall they were on. As the soldiers struggled to regroup their attack.

Ben looked at Smith. If they could hear voices through the thin walls then no doubt bullets would have no trouble ripping through it.

Ben leaned down and picked up a gun that looked like a M-4 and made sure it was loaded then he pointed at the wall and made a firing motion to Smith as a hint. Smith nodded obviously understanding the idea.

"1…2…3!" Ben whispered and they both fired into the wall blind. Their bullets ripping through the plaster and into the soldiers in the next room.

They had no idea though that a soldier with night vision was stood right behind them, he had been injured in the blast of the grenade but again his life had been saved by the flak armour.

The soldiers in the other room were dead now from the sudden attack.

However the last remaining soldier brought his combat knife down into the area between Smith's neck and shoulder.

He cried out from the sudden riping pain.

Ben glanced round and fired at the soldier. The gun empty though only offered a pathetic click in response though.

Ben threw the gun barrel first at the soldier and it struck him in the face. Smith collapsed to the floor crying out in pain and clawing at the wound to try and remove the knife.

Ben lunged forward at the soldier who had recoiled from being hit in the face by the gun. He pushed him backwards towards the large window that was common for all the rooms on the top floor.

With the shattering of glass the soldier fell screaming to his death.

Ben glanced over to Smith but it was too late the poor man had died from extreme blood loss.


	21. Day Break

Chapter 21: Day break 

_Hours later at day break (Three days till Serenity's down fall)_

Ben, Neil, Hawk and Sam were gathered in the ruins of the workshop slowly removing Warlord from the rubble piece by piece. They'd had to endure yet more shelling after they'd cleared the main building of soldiers and they'd downed the chopper.

The soldiers were still out in the woods and they occasionally fired the odd shell in sporadically. However most people were hiding in the summer morning sun after the storm, so no one was injured.

Ben moved a piece of rubble away from the turret with a grunt then sat down on it.

"This is taking forever," He groaned.

"Well the sooner we get it out the better." Sam ushered.

Neil glanced down at Ben and saw that he was rubbing his stomach; he was obviously in pain from all the stress he was now under.

"Go and get some painkillers from Angel" Neil suggested to Ben.

Ben glanced up and smiled at his friend.

"I'll do that, be right back." He jumped off the tank and began walking in the direction of the infirmary.

There was a silence as the three continued to work.

X

Ben walked into the infirmary it was complete chaos the nurses were rushing from beds to beds as the wounded crowded into the space. Angel was near the back of the room and dashed between person and person.

Ben glanced at all the different beds.

"Preacher…" A voice croaked from near him. It was a young man named Karl. Ben had met him several times but had never really struck up and amazing friendship with the man.

The man looked as though he'd been exercising for a solid day and there were bloodstains all over his uniform. There were various entry and exit wounds over his chest. The poor man didn't look like he was going to last much longer.

"Yes? What is it?" Ben asked moving closer to the man having to stand over a man lying on the floor.

"Can you put in a good word for to God?" He said laughing slightly but it turned into a cough.

"Sure thing" Ben smiled. "I'll do it in a few years though when you actually die though okay?"

Karl laughed and spluttered again. "Sure thing Preacher" he then closed his eyes.

He then drew his terminal breath and died.

Ben closed his eyes and sighed, he then stood up and walked over to Angel.

"I could really use some more painkillers." He said walking over to her even though he knew that she was busy with her patient.

"Can you get them yourself drawer over there, I'm busy" she said hurriedly.

Ben went and grabbed the medication.

X

Sam, Neil and Hawk were talking a quick five minutes break from dislodging the tank from the rubble they all sat around on the tank and Neil opened a tin of fruit salad, which they now passed around each other.

"So any idea who's tipping these guys off?" Sam asked in the silence.

"No idea, this bastard's always a step ahead of us." Hawk said placing a bit of fruit into his mouth and chewing it down.

"I can assure you if I catch him though he's going to wish he'd died in the mortar shelling." Neil said taking the tin off Hawk.

Sam nodded.

You'll have to catch me first prick 

He thought behind his smile.

"Perhaps the person has been killed, in the shelling" Sam said.

"Nah that tricky bastard has probably wormed his way into a snug hiding hole, knowing him he's probably watching us now." Hawk added.

They all then sat in silence and they watched as Ben emerged from the infirmary and headed in their direction.

Then in the silence they heard a distant thud then the familiar whistling sound.

"COVER" Hawk yelled, to Ben and anyone else in the complex who should be under cover.

It was too late for Ben to try and find cover though. The shell exploded into the ground in front of him.

He disappeared behind the explosion from Hawk, Neil and Sam's view.

"BEN!" Hawk shouted as he leapt of the tank sprinting in the direction where Ben was, Neil and Sam were close behind him.

When they stumbled into the smoke left behind, they heard coughing and Hawk stumbled across Ben who was lying on the floor.

"That's the second time in the past few hours" he groaned.

Hawk just laughed


	22. Sam's Deceit

Chapter 22: Sam's Deceit A few hours later around midday 

Sam was in the guardhouse next to the gate by himself now. He'd managed to lever up the hatch that led down to the tunnel that left Serenity.

He lowered himself down into it and slowly slid the metal covering over him as he descended the ladder downwards.

The tunnel was just like a cave it was dark damp and water dripped of the walls. In fact he was even shivering even though it was the height of summer.

He reached the bottom quite quickly it wasn't that far to go really, he probably could jump the distance but he didn't particularly want to jump down a dark hole where he couldn't see the bottom.

Once he reached the ground he headed down the tunnel, he passed the ladder that led up to the main barracks of Serenity after a few moments. Then he emerged out of an archway by the jetty at the side of Serenity. He was outside the wall

X

"Where is that boy?" Smite spat from the edge of the trees.

He and Captain Author were waiting for Sam to emerge from the fortress they needed information, they needed maps of the fortress, and unfortunately his phone conversations were not good enough. They needed the maps so the next assault that they had planned the soldiers would no exactly where to go and which buildings to attack.

"Patience" Author hushed, "He can't exactly run across the fields to us we can't have him blowing his cover just yet, we need him."

"Yes but they got the Colonel we need to get revenge on the bastards" Smite always was a passionate individual and hadn't really stopped to consider the consequences of his actions; it was probably why he was still only captain.

Author closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. Author had only seen the opportunity of the death of the Colonel to advance further up the ranks. After all there were few better than Author, despite his looks Author was cold blooded he had no qualms with killing every one in the dam fortress but after all they needed more test subjects. They didn't have enough civilians back at the base to really test any more on their own.

The two officers were alone they decided it would be better if they met Sam when there were just two of them.

They heard a rustle of a bush next to them; they both drew their handguns and pointed at it.

They hadn't seen some of the undead for a while but you could never be sure. There were often times where you could walk for ages and not come across any. Most of the time they stayed around the city any way.

"Don't shoot" a voice hushed, then Sam stumbled out of the bush.

"About time you showed up" Smite growled.

"Relax Smite, he's here now that's all that matters." Author calmed.

"Here it is any way," Sam handed over a piece of paper that was folded up, it contained several maps, one of the whole complex, one of the barracks and one where to find the tunnels entrances and where they led.

"You can reach the tunnels quite easily without being seen." Sam continued. "Especially now that the walls are down."

Author nodded, "Thank you Sam, you're doing the right thing."

Sam smiled, "I just wish the bastards listened to me a while back it could've saved so much trouble."

"We're going to launch another attack in a few hours, but first we're going to make it look as though we've left, given up, we need you to go back in and disarm their RPG's" Author then ordered.

Sam nodded, "You guys coming up through the tunnels?"

"Yes, then we'll take as many as we can alive" Smite responded quickly.

"Okay, I'll get back then, what's the signal for you guys popping out going to be?"

"We'll fire a red flare at the walls because after we've taken the compound we're flying some choppers in, hence why we need you to disarm the RPG's, it'll be a night fall, if this doesn't work though we've got a back up plan one in which you'll be majorly involved with."

"Until night fall then" Sam nodded and then was off again, he needed to get back before it was noticed that he wasn't there


	23. Angel's Death

**Chapter 23: Angel's Death.**

Hawk and the others had eventually moved the rubble of the tank and he Neil, Sam, Warren and Tractor were stood around drinking water and some beers that they still had left. On Warlord, most of them had their shirts off, as it was tiring work.

Ben however was sat on the roof of the main barracks his scope locked onto the woods. The military had appeared to given up and retreated back a few hours ago.

A cheer had risen up from the complex as they had heard the jeeps driving away. However Ben was unconvinced he was sure it was a plot to lure them into a false security. It was a pity no one else thought that.

As no one else knew of the thirty soldiers all huddle in the tunnel beneath Serenity waiting for nightfall to launch their attack.

"How's it going Ben?" A voice said.

Ben glanced round from his lying down position and saw that Angel had clambered up onto the roof now.

"Oh, Hello Angel, It's okay I think I'm just being paranoid that's all." He replied, sitting up in a cross-legged position.

"Why?" Angel asked sitting down next to him, she had a hip flask in her hand, it was open but she hadn't drunk from it since she'd reached the roof.

"Oh I'm just certain that the soldiers are still out there, perhaps it's my old combat knowledge playing tricks on me…who knows?" Ben explained.

"Relax they must've got scared by the zombies or something I'm surprised they managed to stay out there that long any way." Angel replied.

"You're right." Ben agreed.

"Drink?" She offered the hip flask forward.

"What is it?" he asked as he grabbed it and sniffed at the contents.

"Whiskey…good stuff too." She said.

He sipped at the contents then his eyes lit up.

"That is good, didn't know you liked whiskey" he said.

"Love the stuff."

"Ah…A woman after my own heart." He said glancing up and making eye contact with the blue-eyed doctor. Then he noticed for the first time how much of a beautiful woman she really was. For a moment he was speechless as the whiskey burned the inside of his mouth.

He eventually swallowed it and then smiled at her.

"Did you ever marry, before all this I mean?" she then asked.

He laughed, "Oh that's a long story."

"I've got time…not like I'm going any where" she replied.

X

Sam was stumbling around the armoury again, he was back to trying to deactivate the RPG launcher.

"Bloody thing," he moaned as he dropped it for about the forth time, he could hardly see thing in here it was an incredibly dark room. He knew that the sun would be setting in the next few hours and this was his only chance to deactivate the weapon.

He picked it again and then he slung it across the room, annoyed that he couldn't actually open it up.

X

Ben explained his past in Africa to Angel, he felt stupid in a way he'd never really told any one about it, not even Neil his best friend in the compound.

"I see…"Angel said speechless at his story, she'd never come across some one like Ben before. She was even more surprised when Ben said he believed that Sancia was still alive.

"It's certainly different eh?" Ben said smiling trying not to dwell on it.

Angel nodded.

Ben picked up the rifle again and glanced down the scope looking down it towards the woods just encase he could see movement.

"Looking for soldiers?" Angel asked.

"Yup just encase…. you know…might have revealed themselves by now." Ben then glanced across at her. "Have you got a gun?"

"Nope, I haven't been given one yet, I know Hawk was talking about dishing them out now as we've lost quite a few people now."

"Oh well take this one." Bent hen flicked a revolver up out of his holster and handed it to her by the barrel.

"Oh" she exclaimed moving back slightly from him, shocked by the thought of having to carry a gun.

"It's okay, I've got some…"he patted his bandoleer checking for the ammo that wasn't there any more.

"Oh I've run out, I can get you some." He continued.

"No no…it's okay I'll get you some, it's my gun after all." she smiled talking the gun out of his hands.

"You know what bullets it takes?" he asked

"Nope"

"They look like this" Ben replied pulling a bullet out of his own gun and tossing it to her.

"Okay" she said catching it.

"I'll wait here for you." Ben replied.

Angel smiled and with that she left the roof.

X

"Mother of GOD!" Sam angrily exclaimed as ht tried to pry a side panel of the RPG launcher.

He lay it down on a table and looked at it as closely as he could, he eventually felt a screw on the side of it.

"Ah ha!" he exclaimed removing a knife from his belt he then proceeded to take the panel off slowly with his knife unscrewing the panel.

He eventually got the panel off and then looked in at the wires.

"Any one will do." He laughed as his knife delved into the gun.

The door to the armoury then suddenly opened.

"Shit" he gasped.

But in the evening sunlight he saw, Angel.

_Why the fuck is she here?_ He thought.

"Oh Hi Sam, what are you doing?" she asked closing the door behind herself.

"Oh I'm just repairing this gun." He said looking around,

_She wont know what I'm doing she doesn't know anything about guns._ He thought to himself

"Are you supposed to open a gun up like that?" she asked as she moved into the armoury, looking for something.

"Er…yeah"

_She knows that much she might say something._ He then suddenly thought

"What're you doing that for" she asked

There was no response.

"Sam…Sam?"

She felt a hand wrap around her mouth then felt a huge amount of pain in the back, as a knife buried itself into her.

She tried to scream but couldn't.

Within moments she was dead, Sam let her body fall to the floor and then he left. Making sure to cut the wires in the RPG launcher.


	24. Barely Standing

**Chapter 24: Barely Standing.**

Ben had been the one to discover Angel's body, the sight had truly upset him and now he was in his room alone. His shirt was off and he'd cast his cloak off to the side and now his various battle scars, bracelets, tattoos and his necklace all seemed to have a mystical aura in the moonlight that now shone in through the window of his room.

He was crouched before a small alter that he'd made and his hands were clasped together as he prayed.

"Forgive my sins father. I have committed some of the gravest sins that you have told us to never break. My only excuse is my situation, I hope you understand and judge me under your infinite wisdom."

He then opened up his eyes and pulled a knife from his bandoleer, which was on the bed. He drew it down to his arm and then he sunk the edge into his flesh and dragged it across.

"This is my blood pact to gain revenge on those that have betrayed us. I will send them to the place that is reserved for traitors. Amongst the unrepentant sinners the lowest circle of hell." He flicked the blade across and blood flew from the end of the knife and splattered across the wall.

He then quickly grabbed the bandage he kept in his bandoleers and wrapped it around the wound. He bowed his head graciously at the alter and put his shirt back on, slung a bandoleer round his chest and clasped his rifle. He'd recently washed his hair now and it gleaned in the moonlight, as it was still wet.

X

"I can't believe our only doctor is now dead," Sam gasped.

"We've still got one or two nurses around though and they're doing a good job in the infirmary" Hawk remarked.

"I really hope Ben was wrong and the military have given up for now." Warren said

"I don't think we could repel another proper assault" Tractor added.

"We're barely standing as it is" Warren continued "At least we've got Warlord out of the wreckage."

There was a silence as the five all stood by the armoury.

"We've still got the problem of this bastard spy, I mean what the hell are we going to do about the RPG launcher?" Neil asked more to himself.

"I don't know the first thing about weapons" Sam added.

"Well at least we've still got these grenades for it, I picked up a tip in the marines" he pointed and the RPG grenades on the floor, and bent down to pick one up.

"You unscrew the top" he said, doing as he said, "pull this wire apart. Then you hit it on the bottom on the ground." He didn't do the last bit, "Then you throw it, as you've armed the grenade and when it hits something it will explode." He told them. They all nodded

There was suddenly a fizzing sound and then the whole compound was cast into a red glow.

"What the fuck!" Neil exclaimed.

A flare was hovering in the air and was descending on the compound.

X

Ben was coming down the stairs of the main barracks when he heard the flare go up, he began to bound down the stairs taking them two at a time. Then he heard the rattle of gunfire and screams coming from below him.

He leapt down the last group of stairs and entered the main hall. He was running so fast he knocked over a man who was standing on the other side of the door. The man was scattered to the floor. Ben glanced down and was quick enough to recognise the night vision goggles on his head. He quickly reacted slamming the butt of his rifle into the man's face so that the goggles shattered into his eyes. The man cried out from the pain.

Ben glanced up and saw that there were several bodies of people from Serenity all over the floor, he looked across and saw another five men all with machine guns standing by the door way that led to a small room where the escape passage entrance was.

Ben dived backwards out of the room onto his back as a hail of shots followed him. He rolled to the side as the bullets sprayed into the wall opposite the door.

X

The five outside of the armoury all heard the gunshots, then they saw men rushing out of the guard house which was only fifty meters away from where they were.

"Get 'em" Hawk cried, slamming his grenade on the floor and casting it into the air.

Tractor, Warren and Neil all drew their guns. They only had handguns on them. But they happened to be standing in the right place at the right time and they quickly put their small guns to devastating work.

The grenade slammed into one of the soldiers and blew his shoulder apart.

Sam unslung his sub-machine gun and fired at the soldiers, but having not intention of hitting them just putting on a show.

Within moments the group of around ten soldiers all lay dead or dying on the compound floor. The whole group that had been assigned to enter through that entrance. Yet there was still gunfire going on

X

The gunfire stopped for a second and Ben breathed in between his chant. He leaned round the side of the door and fired a shot from his rifle. Even without night vision the shot still struck home firing through the heart of one of the soldiers.

He dived back behind cover and slammed the bolt of the rifle forwards then backwards; as yet more shots were fired in his direction.

Ben realised that fighting the soldiers with just his rifle would be useless he couldn't just keep popping out and firing.

Then he heard the ping sound of a grenade pin being released. The grenade soon followed and bounced off the wall opposite him.

Ben dived under the stairs; they were solid concrete and would easily survive the blast. He guess was right the grenade exploded and he wasn't hurt at all, he however rolled out onto the floor lying face down to make it look as though he had in fact been caught in the blast.

After a few moments of silence two soldiers rushed through the doors looking for any survivors of the blast. They both then turned their backs to Ben and looked out of the door that led outside.

There were many guards running around the complex, rushing to the fights. All of what had just happened seemed to have taken forever but in truth it was a matter of seconds.

Ben stood up drawing his knife, he leapt forward and slammed his knife into where the soldier's neck and shoulder joined, and he then pushed the blade forward as the soldier screamed out in pain. He severed the main artery in the neck and the blood gushed forward over his comrade who turned round in the confusion only to have blood spray all across his goggles blinding him.

Ben pulled the knife out of the soldier and let his body slump to the ground he then threw his knife by the blade into the other soldier's face. The knife embedded itself into his face with sickening thump sound.

As the man slumped to the ground Ben heard a lot of footsteps coming down the stairs it was some of the guards. Ben pointed a silent hand signal to the main hall, and raised his hand separating the fingers. Indicating the thought there were five soldiers in there.

There were about eight guards on the stairs, the first of the group nodded and drew grenade, pulled out the pin, then threw it into the main hall. There were a few shouts and then an explosion.

The guards then rushed in and their gunfire ended the soldier's lives.

X

Sam had slunk away in the confusion; he needed to cancel the chopper if the soldiers were dead.

He quickly sent a text and cancelled the choppers, although he couldn't actually hear them approaching any way.

However he sent it off and got a reply back.

_Message received, Next plan to come into action in a day's time_.

Sam hoped it would be better than the last ones

_**Authors Note: **_

I know this is a strange DOD fic as it has very little of the undead. However I felt it interesting as a writer the relationships between humans in this situation. I liked the suspense that could be created just by one delusional character that believes he could save the others.

I hope you like my idea of Humans v. Humans and that it doesn't put you off too much. However if you do like undead scenes…keep reading I promise you more zombie munching to ensue.

_**P.S I decided to set it in England to stop all the criticisms of my English way of writing, because obviously I'm not American so I thought It would be best if I stuck to what I knew.**_

_**Thanks For Reading **_

_Roland Farqueson _


	25. The Treason

**Chapter 25: The Treason**

A day till Serenity's downfall 

The list of casualties was much higher after the last raid of military and many people were left mopping around grieving for their loss or helping to bury the bodies. The eastern field had basically turned into a graveyard.

Ben stood over a wooden cross with the words "**Sarah "Angel" Jones" **carved into it. He'd left a flower on the grave. He had no idea what she would like but he managed to find some wild flowers in the field around him.

"You two were close?" A voice asked, and he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Ben glanced round it was Sam.

"Sort of…I only really met her where I was injured…so we'd grown close over the last few days."

"I see."

Ben moved his hand up to his other arm and rubbed the bandage that covered the wound.

"The bastard that stabbed her better be prepared to suffer the lowest ring of hell for what he's done, I intend to be the person who sends him there."

Sam couldn't help but laugh. Ben instantly frowned at him, the first time in a while showing hatred on his face.

"I'm sorry I just can't believe you actually believe in that stuff after everything that's happened."

Ben opened his mouth and was about to give Sam a torrent of abuse in response; he'd had enough of the teenager's sharp tongue and attitude.

"Ben," Hawk shouted "Can you give us a hand over here"

Ben turned in a huff and walked over to the man he clasped onto his rifle encase the military decided to show there face again.

"Yeah walk away idiot" Sam whispered.

Ben glanced back sure that Sam had said something but he continued walking.

X

Around midday the bodies were buried and they were all gathered in the meeting hall now.

Hawk, Neil, Ben, Sam, Tractor and Warren were on the stage now.

They had become the leaders of Serenity over the past days proving themselves in battle on more than one occasion.

"We need to formulate a plan." Hawk said trying to keep everyone who'd been assembled in the hall.

They'd lost over a hundred people in the past few days, many of them their best fighters. Plus the whole scavenger squad.

"Why don't we strike these bastards back before they get us again?" A voice cried out from the back. It was followed by several other agreements and shouts.

"We could, but right now we need to get re-organised before a counter strike is even considered." Hawk protested.

"Why don't we leave few people here till while we attack back, they could have it sorted for when we got back." The same person suggested.

There were several "YEAH'S!" followed after it.

Hawk glanced down to Ben who was sitting on the stairs he defiantly looked more part of the group now, as he was wearing proper clothes. His jeans were dirt but then again they were designed for working in. He was wearing a clean red t-shirt with his bandoleers over the top of it. He'd donned a pair of boots now. He'd even washed his hair and trimmed it. He wore his leather jacket now he leant on his rifle.

Ben shrugged his shoulders. "I agree with them," he said nonchalantly.

"Me to" Neil replied. "I'm killing those bastards."

"Besides, we all know that they're keeping many people prisoners there to make them do work we might as well free them" Tractor added.

Hawk sighed; he really didn't think it was the best idea. However once people had got revenge in their sights it was hard to stop them.

Hawk could sympathise with everyone in the room. He understood what Neil and Ben were feeling.

"Okay, We'll start planning it today, and in we can set into operation tomorrow." Hawk agreed.

X

Everyone had exited the meeting and people were now walking around and getting onto various bits of business for the day.

Sam however had snuck into one of the tunnels again and was standing outside by the jetty.

He'd received a text telling him to be ready for a phone call at 3:00. He glanced at the clock on his arm. It was 2:55 he then flicked open the phone and turned it on. The screen buzzed to life.

He took a while to relax in the sea breeze as the boats creaked and groaned from their position on the jetty.

The phone then started buzzing.

He answered quickly.

"Sam?" 

"Yes, I'm here"

"Good, this is Captain Author, I have some details for you concerning our next plan. We need you to play a major part in this plot though."

"That's fine, I'm ready to show these bastards what they should've done a long time ago" Sam growled.

"Good, I knew you would be reliable. Any way at 1'oclock tomorrow our plan will come into operation. We have a scout team in the city close to you're position the plan is to lure a large horde of the undead to you. This is were you come in, we need you to open the gates of Serenity and let them in."

"Let the undead in?" Sam gasped, "How am I…" he began to ask.

"Don't worry we've planned to arrive with some choppers and land a various points in the compound and extract people to safety, we don't want every one there dead. Just the ones who are causing us trouble." Author explained.

"_There will be a chopper waiting for you on the roof of the main barracks. Get there as soon as you've opened the gates."_

Sam couldn't help but laugh the plan was so simple yet it would be so effective.

"Just like the Trojan horse?" he said

Author on the other side laughed. "Just like it. I will see you when you arrive here…Captain"

Sam got goose bumps when Author referred to him as Captain, a title he was going to enjoy at his new home.

"How will I know when to open the gates?" Sam quickly asked

"Text" Author responded.


	26. The Jaws Of Death

**Chapter 26: The Jaws Of Death.**

_12:30 in the morning. The day of Serenity's Downfall_

Hawk, Warren and Tractor were gathered by Warlord now. It was nighttime and they were just sorting out preparations for the tank as they were going to use it in their attack back on the military.

X

Ben was sat on the roof of the main complex looking at the full moon and stars his legs swinging over the edge of the building.

X

Neil was in the main hall playing a game of cards with some of the other guards. He wasn't really paying attention to the game he just liked to keep his mind occupied rather than dwell on what had happened a few days ago.

X

"Have you decided what you're going to do?" Warren asked Hawk as he handed him another shell to put inside of the tank.

"Yeah, I'm going to lead the attack now. I think it's best if I lead the attack, the men will be looking up to me any way for some sort of leadership." Hawk wasn't being arrogant in the slightest, everyone looked up to him in the compound especially after Mother and Squirrel's death.

"Good, It'll be good to know you'll be there" Tractor said.

"Sure will" Warren agreed

Hawk smiled, "Thanks guys."

X

Ben took another sip from his own hip flask he'd gotten himself semi drunk now and had really couldn't care about what was happening around him. He'd decided now after the attack had gone to plan he was taking a boat and getting out of this place. He was going to find the girl he was engaged to he'd look for her even if it killed him. Even if she turned out to be another running corpse he had to know.

The combination of his sorrow for missing her and the sudden and rapid losses had culminated in this rapid drinking session.

X

Sam was sat in the guard house, the moonlight seeping in through the windows, he glanced over at the gate, the gates system was operated from the guard house all he'd need to do was to press the button when he got the text. Then run for the roof.

_Just get to the roof, do it quickly, don't look behind you. _He told himself

According to the watch strapped on his wrist it was 12:45.

X

Ben took another swig from the hip flask. He then used an old military technique he'd picked up he poked his gums with his fingernail to see if it was painful.

It hurt a bit, he knew that he should really stop, but he was in the mood to get absolutely hammered.

He glanced across at the fields and was sure he could hear something. Ike voices mingled together.

But he shuck it off sure that it was just the voices of people in the hall.

He took another swig. Then the sounds became clearer it wasn't voices it was snarling and growling. He stared out over the moon struck fields and saw lots of figures.

"The undead" he gasped.

He stood up and he cast his hip flask aside.

"HEY, THE UNDEAD ARE COMING!" he shouted waving his arms around.

He saw Hawk and some of the others down by Warlord and was trying to signal to them, he shouted as loudly as he could.

He glanced back and was terror struck by what he saw.

X

Sam felt the phone vibrate and he quickly looked at it and the message told him to open the gates.

He pushed the button on the guardhouse door and within a matter of nanoseconds he was out of the door running for what possibly could be his life.

X

Ben saw the gates opening and he saw a figure come tearing out of the guardhouse as though a demon from the lowest depths of hell was at his heels, it practically was.

Ben picked up his rifle and fired a shot into the air.

"THE GATES ARE OPEN, THE BASTARD LET THEM IN!" he screamed.

It was too late though the jaws of death had opened on Serenity; all that was left now was for them to close.


	27. Hawk's Death

Chapter 27: Hawk's Death 

After Ben jumping up and down on the roof screaming and pointing towards the gate, the others all heard the sound of the undead roaring and snarling.

There was then the sudden sound of choppers.

Ben glanced out at the horizon and saw four choppers making their way from behind the woods towards Serenity.

X

Hawk, Warren and Tractor had viewed the unfolding events with utter confusion. Ben had suddenly gone mad. Watching him jump around and fire his gun, he looked as though he was possessed by the devil himself.

However once the undead sounds had become apparent.

Hawk leapt of the tank to the ground unslinging his machine gun.

Warren and Tractor followed suit drawing their handguns and walking in the direction of the gate.

Then from round the corner of the complex there came a horde of undead, charging snarling and roaring at the prospect of finding long awaited food. They all showed the fact that they were undead. They all looked ravaged with blood running from their mouths and their eyes empty of any emotion other than hunger and desperation.

"GET TO THE TANK!" Hawk yelled over the noise of the undead and choppers.

Warren and Tractor needed no encouragement then span and ran towards Warlord as fast as their legs would carry them. Leaping up it's metallic exterior and clambering inside it.

Hawk raised his machine gun and fired into the ranks of the undead. His shots ripping holes into them, the odd one or two dropping to the floor and staying down but the majority fell and got up again.

X

Neil had heard Ben's shot and had stood up grabbing his own weapon; he now carried an M4 having stolen it off a soldier's corpse.

All the other guards in the room had done the same and as they rushed for the doors they heard Hawk's distinctive gun open up.

They pilled out of the main complex and the sight that met them terrified every single one of them. The undead were inside Serenity and they were bearing down on Hawk. That was until they saw the other men come charging out of the doors many of the undead swerved and charged at the other guards.

They could all hear the sound of choppers as they opened fire on the undead. Their shots pulling chunks of flesh from the undead. Blood was spraying everywhere and the sound of gunfire echoed around the land.

They all had to flinch when they were all suddenly put under a spot light from the choppers that began to circle overhead.

X

Smite couldn't help but laugh when he saw the utter terror that was spreading around the complex known as Serenity. He didn't really care about getting more survivors he just wanted his revenge on the complex. By some twisted logic he viewed himself as the good force in the battle. Nothing would stop him doing what he believed was right. He was cleansing the planet of the weak and the undead.

His chopper was assigned to land on the roof and collect Sam, the new Captain, and gather any other survivors that he could.

Smite leaned over and grabbed a radio microphone and raised it to his mouth pressing the activation button.

His voiced the boomed across the desecrated fortress.

"This is Captain Smite of the Reaper Regiment, this is a rescue operation. We have come to help not harm, we are landing down in the fortress providing you do not fire upon us you will be granted safe passage to our own stronghold, where it is still safe."

An attack that seemed like a rescue operation, it was genius, he couldn't help admiring Author for his amazing mind. He returned the microphone

"Take us in Blythe" he shouted to the pilot.

The chopper then descended down into the compound

X

Sam sprinted up the stairs knowing what was going to happening. He could hear the gunfire rattling all around the compound as people began fighting for their lives. Serenity was coming to its end.

As he gulped in lung fulls of air he was reaching the top when he heard a door slam above him.

Thinking it to be the chopper already landing after hearing the message. His heart skipped with excitement he was going out of there.

"Hey you up there, don't shoot its me-Sam-Captain Sam" he called up to what he believed to be the soldiers.

However when he turned the corner he saw Ben coming down the stairs.

Sam paused horrified, he knew what was happening, Ben knew who he was knew him for what he was.

"YOU!" he cried out.

Sam reached down for his handgun; he'd left his machine gun in the guardhouse in the confusion.

Ben leapt down the flight of stairs not caring for his own safety though; completely enraged he jumped down slamming his shoulder into the teenager.

Sam flew backwards down two steps and into a wall. Both of them rolling down the stairs. They were both locked in a struggle then.

Sam's gun flew out of his hand and scattered over the side of the stairs and tumbled down the flight of stairs.

The struggle ended up with Sam on the bottom and Ben untop, Ben slammed his fist into Sam's face.

Once, twice then a third time. The teenager was stunned on the floor. Disorientated by the attacks and the fall.

"Get up!" Ben growled through gritted teeth. "Get up you bastard" he repeated.

He stood up and grabbed him round the collar and hauled him onto his feet.

Ben drew one of his revolvers and cocked it pointing it at Sam's head. His rifle was on his back.

He then forced him down the stairs.

X

"GET IT STARTED" Tractor cried from his position behind Warren.

"I'm going as fast as I can" Warren cried back.

Warlord's engine then erupted into life. It's large engine making so much noise they could barely hear the sounds of gunfire from outside.

Tractor rotated the large turret and aimed it at the centre of the undead crowd. He quickly fired pulled the trigger.

A shell flew from the tank and exploded into the ranks of the undead sending mutilated corpses flying in different directions.

X

The choppers descended in and landed at various points, one landed by the infirmary, another by the ruined workshop, not to far from Warlord. The other two landed at opposite ends of the roof of the main building.

The battle was clearly going in the direction of the undead as they still pilled through the gates.

Neil reloaded another clip into his gun and fired again.

Hawk was cut off from the others and retreated as fast as possible in the direction of the tank when a shell flew over him and blew several of the undead apart.

"GET INTO THE BUIDLING, BLOCK IT OFF" Hawk yelled to the others, waving his arms in the direction of the main building.

Neil reacted to Hawk's plea and started ushering the men back into the building in a structured retreated.

They were all quickly backed into the building and they sealed the doors, they rushed to the different windows though to start providing some cover.

Hawk was left outside and turned to run for the tank, it was his only chance.

He cast aside his empty machine gun and ran.

He was in full sprint when an zombie grabbed his shirt and yanked him backwards.

He toppled backwards as it went for him it's jaw snapping.

Hawk rolled around and forced it off him briefly and managed to stagger up drawing his handgun.

"Come on then you fuckers" he growled, firing a shot into the zombie that had caused him to fall.

He drew a grenade of his belt and threw it into the advancing swarm. It exploded slowing their advance not stopping it.

"YOU WANT SOME FRESH MEAT COME AND GET IT!" he yelled in a frenzy, firing his handgun into their midst.

The gun ran dry quickly but his frenzy did not he swung his fists and kicked at them. He struggled all the way until he was one of the living dead himself.


	28. Warlord's Escape

Chapter 28: Warlord's Escape 

Warren had witnessed Hawk's last stand as the others had retreated into the main building.

"Get the chopper" Warren cried over his shoulder to Tractor.

Tractor span the turret in the direction of the chopper that had landed near the ruins of the workshop. It was beginning to take off; no one had run to the chopper at all they he retreated back into the main building.

Tractor aimed in cannon at just above the chopper waiting for it to rise up.

As it did he kept his finger on the trigger that would launch the shell.

The chopper lurched upwards and then Tractor fired the shell.

The shell ripped through the choppers exterior exploding into fragments all over the place.

The chopper didn't crash it simply exploded in mid air from the sudden blast. Everyone in the chopper was killed.

Warren let out a cheer of success; it was partly rage as well.

"Warren get us to the infirmary, we need to help the people." Tractor yelled.

Warren acknowledged him and powered forwards.

X

Ben threw Sam onto the floor of the main hall, the undead were banging on the windows of the eastern side of the building. They were only on one side of th complex so far they hadn't gotten round to the infirmary as they were occupied bythe fighting going on for the main building.

"Ben what are you doing" Neil gasped.

"It's him, he's the fucking spy" Ben shouted.

"No I'm not, I was going to the roof to get out of here I don't want to die" Sam responded in protest.

"You'd all do the same if you were smart I want to get out of here." Sam continued pleading to the guards around him. "We've lost lets get out of here before we are all eaten."

"He's lying" Ben interrupted, "Some fucker opened the gates, I saw them running from the guard house, I reckon it was this little rat" He kicked Sam at the end to emphasis his point.

"I'm not lying I just want to live" Sam pleaded.

"Let's get out of here, I don't want to die neither" A voice agreed with Sam.

Ben wasn't in the mood to argue, "Leave if you want, if you believe you'll be any safer with the military be my guest leave, I have no desire to stop any of you." He shouted.

There was a silence amongst the men just afterwards, none of them prepared to say anything. But after a few moments they all left, leaving Ben, Sam and Neil in the hall alone.

X

Warlord sped along the compound and span around the main building rushing to the infirmary, but the sight of a chopper ascending into the air was all that met Warren and Tractor.

The soldiers had grabbed everyone out of the infirmary leaving only the very sick or dying behind.

A group of undead chased Warlord in vein hope of finding a way open up the giant tin can to get at the food beneath.

"Bastards" Warren exclaimed.

"Warren there's nothing we can do." Tractor gasped. He had realised that the battle for Serenity had been lost.

Warren screamed from rage and slammed the controls of the large tank.

"Let's get out of here." Tractor said

Warren reluctantly turned the tank and headed towards the gates.

X

"He's the traitor." Ben said to Neil, trying to prove it.

"I'm not" Sam interrupted.

"SHUT UP SCUM" Ben smacked him with the butt of the revolver. Sam fell to the ground with a split lip.

Ben took a step towards Neil his hands outstretched trying to prove he wasn't mad.

However Sam hadn't been hurt by he blow as he made out. He hit Ben in the back of his knee and Ben toppled backwards to the floor his gun came out of his hand and flew into the air.

Sam stood up rapidly and kicked Ben in the ribs as he did so.

He quickly grabbed the gun that hit the floor. Before Neil had chance to react Ben was on the floor clutching his chest and Sam was pointing a gun at him.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING" Neil shouted.

"You should've listened to him Neil, it was me…I killed Mother and Angel, I would've killed him as well if I had the chance." Sam pointed at Ben.

"Stand up!" he ordered Ben.

Ben managed to pull himself up and Sam flicked his gun towards Neil wanting him to stand next to him.

Ben and Neil were stood next to each other as the undead slammed at the windows and glass began to shatter as their arms reached in desperately.

"I was me who told them where Squirrel and her scavengers would be, I told them of your expedition to get the part for the tank. You were all supposed to die then not just Clint. You wont believe how mad I was when I saw you two still alive." Sam explained.

"You're mad" Neil gasped.

A glass shattered near Sam as a zombie forced his way through the glass.

Ben took the opportunity while Sam was distracted and lunged forward attempting to grab the gun.

He got a hand on the gun but Sam pulled backwards and while the two were struggling the gun went off. Ben's eyes widened from the pain.

He stepped back and his hands were covered in blood. A wound seeped blood from his hip where the bullet had entered his body.

"You shot me…" Ben gasped. "Neil he…shot me" he said from shock.

He then fell backwards to the floor.

"You bastard" Neil cried out.

More glass shattered and the undead pilled in through the window.

Sam and Neil both turned to the other side of the room and ran, they both leapt through the windows. The glass shattering from the force.

They both rushed in the direction of the gates the undead rushing straight after them through the building.

They were forced to dodge a number of undead.

Neil drew his own pistol and was tempted to shoot Sam in his back but he was concentrating on avoiding the jaws of the undead.

Sam stumbled and tripped, he managed to regain his footing but he lost his grip on the pistol and he looked up in time to see some more of the undead enter through the gates.

Thy both changed the direction of their run to the guardhouse. Sam was first through the door followed by Neil.

Neil slammed the door; they were safe for a moment.


	29. Dead End Again

**Chapter 29: Dead End!**

That was it that was the end; they were stuck in the small guard building next to the main complex. The undead were massed up outside hundreds of them ran through out Serenity. No one else in the complex was left alive. Clint, Ben, Sarah, Eve and even Hawk was dead. The life that they'd all carved out the ruins of the old world was now gone nothing would bring it back. The only sound other than roaring of the undead was the sound of the helicopter as it was hovering away. The military or what was left of it was no longer there to help them; it had never been in the first place.

Neil's pistol was raised pointing at Sam's head.

"Just put the gun dow-," Sam was screeching

"Shut the fuck up" Neil cut him off, firing a shot just above Sam's head. "Why'd you do it? You sick fuck! What did they offer you?"

"They didn't offer me anything!" Sam shouted back, "Look this gun pointing isn't going to get us out of here."

"Nothing will get us out of here we're fucked! I want you to tell me why before we both become zombie chow!" Neil shouted in response cutting Sam off yet again.

"We can escape!" Sam tried to reason. A large boot to his groin ended his plea.

"WHY!" Neil screeched.

The glass was beginning to crack the undead were moments away from getting in.

"Because they have the only chance! Look at what we had! We were going to make a living by foraging and by rushing out to manage our crops at half an hour intervals at a time, think about it nearly a thousand people forced to hide and scour for food. We should've joined them when we had the chance! I was dammed if I was going to live like you lot. It was sad it was pathetic."

"IT WAS OURS!" Neil shouted and in a fit or rage he pulled the trigger.

Sam squealed from the pain of the bullet entering his stomach.

"Why didn't you kill me?" Sam asked over the pain and the noise from outside.

"Because your stomach shot now! Do you know what that means you bastard? The next moments of your life are going to be sheer agony as you stomach acids seep out into your body. Then when they get in here!" Neil pointed at the window that was a minute away from cracking under the strain at the least.

"They'll rip you apart limb by limb" Neil finished almost smiling, he was almost mad everything he had ever know was now gone to him again.


	30. Ben's Escape

**Chapter 30: Ben's Escape.**

Ben's eyes flickered open; the pain from his hip was immense. He'd been knocked out from falling over for only a few seconds. He'd watched as many undead had piled through the room chasing after Sam and Neil.

Ben glanced up the door to the escape tunnel was only a few meters away from him. He then moved his eyes to the wound on his hip; fortunately it had only been a low calibre gun so he his hipbone was still intact he just had a bullet lodged in it.

The undead paid no attention to him as they had run through. If he had an opportunity to escape now was the chance. He put one hand out in front of himself and clawed forward to the doorway.

A trail of blood was left behind him as he did this.

His hip screamed in agony as he did this and he had to bit down on his lip to prevent himself from screaming out. He didn't want to attract attention of the zombies not now. He had to survive he had to live, he had no intention of falling into the mouths of one of those vile creatures.

He pulled himself forward again with the same arm, staying on one side not wanting to drag his injured hip across the floor.

His front half was through the door way and he managed to close the door behind himself buying any time if the undead did decided they wanted to take chunks out of him. He painfully lifted up the manhole cover and slid it aside.

He had to let out a few squeals of pain from it.

Eventually he felt the cold sea air drift up to him and he gazed down into the darkness.

He lowered himself down onto the first rung of the ladder as his blood trickled along his leg.

It was possible to see where he'd been just by following the blood. He got down several of the rungs and then went to put his leg down again but the rungs of the ladder were wet and his pained hip couldn't take the pressure.

He slipped and fell the last few rungs and hit the ground with another painful knock.

He writhed on the floor a few moments then began to prop himself up on the side of the cavern.

Then with painful steps he headed towards the jetty in hope of getting a boat out of there.

Sure that he was the last survivor of Serenity he had to hold back the tears from pain and loss.


	31. Sam's Death

Chapter 31: Sam's Death 

Neil laughed at Sam as he rolled around the floor crying in pain.

He then bent down and lifted up the manhole cover that would hopefully lead him out to safety. He still was going to get out alive if it was the last thing he did.

"Don't leave me here to get eaten. Please" Sam cried, as the pain from his stomach went from pain to sheer agony.

"You deserve worse" Neil spat.

He then slid down the hole making sure to close the hole after him so when the undead broke through they wouldn't be able to chase him.

He clambered down the rungs of the ladder the sounds of the undead seemed to ripple along the inside of the cavern.

He hit the bottom of the steps and moved the hair out of his face, gripping his pistol tight he began to move along the tunnel trudging not really trying to hard. After all where did he have to go?

He hadn't gone more than a few steps when he heard heavy breathing and slow footsteps from down the tunnel.

He then had visions of finding another survivor.

He began to run along the tunnel and as he reached the end of it he saw Ben struggling along it.

"BEN!" He cried out running to his injured friend.

Ben glanced back, tears down his face.

"NEIL!" Ben replied.

The pair embraced, they still had something to keep each other sane. They'd both survived the massacre that was Serenity.

X

Sam cringed on the floor as the manhole cover slide back across.

He crawled over to the hole and desperately tried to pry it open, before his fingers could lock around it. The glass shattered.

The undead poured in.

Sam cried out in horror, as the zombies leapt upon him like hungry vultures. They began to rip him apart as they sank their teeth into his flesh.

He screamed one last time as some teeth ripped apart his throat.

X

As they hugged they heard a scream that went from normal to high pitched, as Sam's voice box was ripped from his throat by eager mouths.

"Let's get out of here." Neil replied.


	32. Neil's Escape and Where Next?

**Chapter 32: Neil's Escape…Where Next?**

Neil put Ben's arm over his shoulder and helped is friend along the remaining tunnel.

The pair of them struggled along the jetty the boats were all still there obviously they were the only ones who'd thought of using the boats to get out.

Neil lowered his friend down into the largest of the boats. It had a few rooms on board and a bed. As soon as Ben was sat on the floor of the deck Neil set to untying the boat.

He then clambered up into the deck and started the boats big engine.

He slowly moved out of from Serenity into the blackness of the night.

After a while when he'd set their course, he'd learned of one off one of the sailors a while back how to drive a boat he moved out to help Ben inside from the sea wind.

As he bent down to help Ben up they both heard the large cannon of Warlord open up. They glanced over to the horizon and saw Warlord disappear over the horizon with several of the undead chasing it.

"Least we weren't the only ones to get out." Ben grunted as Neil helped him up.

"No…let's get you to a bed." Neil said then he helped him inside down a difficult staircase then he lay him down on one of the beds inside the small white room.

Neil then sat down next to him on the bed and began to nurse his would using the on board med kit to sterilise the wound and try to retrieve the bullet.

"Were to now?" Ben grimaced as Neil used a knife to pull the bullet out.

"I'm not sure," Neil said concentrating on the task.

"Revenge? Far from here?" Ben asked, both suggestions appealing to him.

Neil looked at his friend and smiled.

The boat then drifted off to sea in the night leaving the ruins of Serenity behind them.

THE END

**Author's note:**

Thank you all so much for taking time to read my story I hope you enjoyed it and the ending didn't upset you too much. Encase you're wondering who actually survived the remaining characters of Serenity are Neil, Ben, Warren and Tractor.

I'm contemplating writing a sequel to this and as far as I can tell I have only two options for this.

Neil and his friend attempt to get revenge on the military or Ben and Neil go in search of Ben's fiancé, and Tractor and Warren are left to find some sort of safety.

If you prefer one or the other please message more to let me know, or leave it in a review.

But if you have any other ideas for a sequel that are completely different let me know, I'm open to suggestions after you guys are my readers and you're the people who love these characters.

THANK YOUUUUU!

Roland Farqueson


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